Man found with €161,000 worth of drugs in Mayo faces deportation order

A twenty-six-year-old man who faces deportation after he was arrested with €161,000 worth of drugs in Castlebar told a court he wants to build a new life for himself in Ireland.

Joshua Ajanovic with an address at Tonragee West, Achill appeared before Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court where he pleaded guilty to possession of €161,000 worth of drugs for sale or supply and money laundering.

Mr Ajanovic who is a citizen of The Philippines came to the attention of the Garda on June 11, 2024 after he collected a package posted to his address containing 2kg of MDMA also known as ecstasy worth €120,000.

Detective Sergeant Darren Conlon explained that during the search of the home other drugs were discovered including €40,404 worth of ketamine as well as smaller quantities of cannabis and cocaine. The total value of the drugs discovered was €161,086.65.

The court heard customs officers intercepted a quantity of drugs which were addressed to the defendant's address at Chestnut Grove, Castlebar and An Garda Siochána were notified.

Detective Sgt Darren Conlon explained that on June 11, 2024, the package was collected by the defendant at his home in Chestnut Grove, Castlebar and he signed for it using the name John Walsh.

The court heard that the MDMA received in the post was like a 'hard rock of lava' and Detective Sgt Conlon admitted gardaí at the scene did not know what it was as it was the first time they had seen it in this format. He said he sought assistance from the National Drugs Bureau who confirmed what it was and explained that the crystallised form of the drug can be drunk or rubbed into a person's gums.

Detective Sgt Conlon explained that the defendant was arrested at the scene and took responsibility for everything. He said he was not on the radar of gardaí in Castlebar at the time but had a previous conviction for cultivation of cannabis in Co Leitrim. Cash valued at €1,820 was also seized in the search.

When questioned by Gardaí, Mr Ajanovic said he had a drug debt and was instructed to receive the package in the post. Detective Sgt Conlon told Patrick Reynolds, counsel for the State that Mr Ajanovic also informed them that white powder found in the sleeve of a jacket was ketamine and this was confirmed when analysed.

Hare Krishna background

The court was informed that a deportation order was issued by the Department of Justice on May 5, 2025 and the deportation has been deferred due to the court case.

When questioned by Colm Smyth, senior counsel for Mr Ajanovic, the detective accepted the defendant had a difficult upbringing and was brought up in the Hare Krishna movement. Mr Smyth said his client admitted selling drugs for people in order to feed his habit.

Detective Sgt Conlon admitted gardaí were not expected to find so much drugs in the house and while he accepted Mr Ajanovic may have been selling to feed his habit he was not convinced he was naive in what he was doing.

In his evidence to the court, Mr Ajanovic informed Judge Eoin Garavan that his father is Croatian and his mother is Fhipipo and he was born in The Philippines but moved to Ireland when he was one year old.

He told Mr Smyth that his parents were part of the Hara Krishna movement and they were strict about how they practiced which he said caused trauma in his young life. He said he had a long ponytail while the top of his head was shaved and this resulted in grief for him in school.

He claimed his father often whipped him with a cable and he coerced the rest of his family to kick him out of the family home when he was 18.

Mr Ajanovic told Mr Smyth that he moved in with a friend whose mother felt sorry for him and worked in a Supermarket in Carrick on Shannon but fell in with the wrong people. He said he took drugs as a way of coping with his life.

Mr Ajanovic spent nine weeks in custody following the detection in Castlebar but was released on High Court bail and was living with his partner in Achill.

Exemplary employee

The court heard Mr Ajanovic has been working in Hotel Newport for the last 13 months and the General Manager Sharon Kennedy gave evidence that Mr Ajanovic is well regarded in the hotel and within the Newport community.

She said that Mr Ajanovic told her about his arrest last May but stressed he remains an exemplary employee and that she has only good words to say about him.

When asked about his deportation order, Mr Ajanovic said that he has only lived in Ireland but his parents did not arrange for him to receive Irish citizenship and he did not know how to get around it.

He said he is drug free and in a stable relationship and told the court he wants to build a better life for himself.

Mr Ajanovic said he was enjoying the work he does in the hotel and that he also travels two a week to Leitrim to take part in a bog restoration project. He accepted what he did was very serious but asked the court to be lenient.

Adjournment

Judge Garavan told the court that Mr Ajanovic is charged with one of the most serious offences and added that had it not been for the good work of the custom officers and Gardaí the drugs may not have been detected.

He said that having heard the evidence he was setting a headline sentence of six months but stated he was adjourning finalisation of the sentence hearing for 12 months to allow Mr Ajanovic to continue his recovery and show he is serious.

Judge Garavan directed an updated probation report and also ordered that Mr Ajanovic carry out hair follicle tests in January and August 2027 to prove he is off drugs. Mr Ajanovic was remanded on bail to appear before the court again on October 12, 2027.

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