Man admits cannabis smuggling plan after teens arrested in Thailand
Patrick O'Driscoll, 30, pleads guilty to one drug-related charge, as six others also appear in court.
Man admits cannabis smuggling plan after teens arrested in Thailand
A man has admitted to plotting to smuggle cannabis after two teenagers were suspected of being trafficked to Thailand as part of an international drug ring.
The two 17-year-olds were arrested by Thai authorities in June on suspicion of working as drug couriers, after they were allegedly found carrying 64kg (141lb) of cannabis "concealed within their suitcases" while attempting to return to the UK.
Patrick O'Driscoll, 30, pleaded guilty to one drug-related charge and was remanded in custody at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday.
Five other defendants denied charges connected to drug smuggling and conspiring to arrange travel with a view to exploitation, while one did not enter a plea.
O'Driscoll, of Caerau, Cardiff, admitted conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a Class B drug.
At the request of his solicitor, he will be arraigned later on four counts of conspiracy to traffic and one count of firearms possession.
Charges against Tremaine Jeanne, 28, of Llanrumney, Cardiff, will also be dealt with at a later date.
Levi Coomansing, 20, of Butetown, Cardiff, and Gareth Press, 42, of Ely, Cardiff, both pleaded not guilty to five counts, including one count of conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a Class B drug.
They also both denied four counts of conspiring to arrange the travel of another with a view to exploitation, involving two 17-year-olds and an 18-year-old.
In a separate hearing, Jessica Sani, 28, of Alway, Newport, Ffion Bowes-Cavanagh Hooley, 24, of Caerau, Cardiff, and Carrie-Anne Dreyer, 39, of Boverton, Llantwit Major, also pleaded not guilty to conspiring to smuggle cannabis.
Dreyer also denied four charges relating to conspiring to arrange the travel of another with a view to exploitation, while an application was made to dismiss the same charges against Sani.
Hooley was given an extension to her conditional bail, while Judge Daniel Williams refused a bail application for Sani.
O'Driscoll, Jeanne, Coomansing, Press and Dreyer have all been remanded in custody, with a trial date set for 8 March 2027.