Man accused of importing crystal meth worth €32m seeks access to witnesses’ phones

The trial of a man charged with the country’s largest-ever crystal meth seizure, valued at more than €32 million, has been adjourned until Friday after he sought access to witnesses’ phones.James Leen (43) of Pilgrim Hill, Kilmorna, Listowel, Co Kerry, faces five charges including one for directing the activities of a criminal organisation between February 7th, 2023, and February 16th, 2024.Leen is also charged with the importation of methylamphetamine, better known as crystal meth, at Cork Port, Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, on October 16th, 2023.He is further charged with possession of crystal meth at Ballyseedy Garden Centre in Tralee between October 27th, 2023, and February 12th, 2024.READ MOREThe case relates to the seizure of 564kg of methamphetamine, or crystal meth, with an estimated value of €32.8 million from a container at Cork Port on February 16th, 2024.The State’s case is that the drugs were imported from Mexico and stored at the Ballyseedy Garden Centre before being transported to Cork, where they were destined for export to Australia.Leen’s trial at the Special Criminal Court was expected to get under way on Monday. However, Colm Smyth, counsel for Leen, asked for an adjournment so an expert in Texas in the US can analyse data from phones belonging to various proposed witnesses in the trial.John Berry, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said gardaí have already disclosed to the defence all relevant material from those phones.He said a difficulty arises because the defence wants access to all data on those phones, including that which is deeply personal to the witnesses and not relevant to the trial. He said Irish courts have no jurisdiction to impose conditions on an expert working in the US that would safeguard that information.Judge Caroline Biggs, presiding at the three-judge, non-jury court, said there are experts in Ireland who can carry out the work suggested.She said it was not appropriate to come into court on the day of the trial and ask for an adjournment for the same reason an adjournment was given a year ago.She asked that every effort be made to secure an Irish expert this week and adjourned the matter until Friday. If there are no Irish companies who can do the work, she said the court would consider whether it is appropriate to allow the data to be analysed outside the jurisdiction.