Man jailed for six years for cannabis cultivation

A 32 year old Lithuanian man who left his country to start a new life in Ireland after serving seven years in jail for manslaughter has been jailed for six years after Gardai found a cannabis factory at his home in Donegal.
Andrius Gruodis pleaded guilty under the Misuse of Drugs Act after Gardai were alerted to suspicious activity at his rented home in Ballybofey.
Detective Garda Niall Boyle told Letterkenny Circuit Court that Gardai visited 2 Beechwood Avenue in Ballybofey after a report about the house.
They found a number of empty pots and small balls of insulation at the back of the house, and became
aware that the ESB meter on the house had been by-passed.
Gardai got a warrant to search the house and as they were about to enter it, Gruodis admitted he has ecstasy tablets and cannabis at the house.
When they entered the house, Gardai found a sophisticated network of equipment used to grow cannabis.
The accused sister Androne, who lives in Trim in Co Meath, said she believed her brother was growing the drugs because he owed money to other men.
Judge John O’Hagan sentenced Gruodis to six years in prison on two separate charges of possession and intent to sell or supply of cannabis under the Misuse of Drugs Act with both sentences to run concurrently.
He also congratulated the Garda Drugs Squad who he said faced a major task with limited resources and who worked long and often very fruitless hours.