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08 Oct 2025

Drugs worth nearly €50,000 found in Offaly sting operation

Man answered door in underpants to garda posing as courier

Tullamore Circuit courtroom

Sentencing hearing at Tullamore Circuit Court

A DRUG dealer answered the door in his underpants to gardai posing as staff with the DPD delivery service, Tullamore Circuit Court heard on Wednesday.

Maciej Klosiewicz (56), St Patrick's Avenue, Rhode admitted possessing of amphetamines, methylamphetamines and chloromethcathinone for sale or supply to others at his residence on St Patrick's Avenue, Rhode on September 4, 2023.

Mr Klosiewicz also pleaded guilty to a connected charge of having drugs with a market value of more than €13,000 and the court heard they were worth a total of €49,382.44.

Detective Garda Tom Dunne outlined how a sting operation had been arranged after information had been received that a package that was intercepted at the DPD depot in Athlone on August 30, 2023 contained a controlled substance.

The name on the package was Maciej Chodzymski but the address was that of Mr Klosiewicz in Rhode.

What gardai call a controlled delivery was arranged and Detective Garda Edel Kenny arrived at the man's house with a clip board and DPD documentation.

The accused answered the door in his underpants and when he was asked, he said he was Maciej Chodzymski and signed for the package, which contained a microwave oven.

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Methylamphetamines and chloromethcathinone were hidden in the oven in an area which had to be screwed apart for them to be found.

Amphetamines, which were of much smaller value than the other drugs, were found in the sitting room.

A tick list, three weighing scales and a vacuum packer were also found and during a conversation with gardai the accused, who appeared in court with the help of an interpreter, said he couldn't understand when some matters were put to him.

Detective Garda Dunne detailed that the man had come from Warsaw, Poland in 2006 having had a small fruit and vegetable shop there.

He lived in Edenderry at first with his wife and daughter and then moved to Rhode in the last seven or eight years.

“I don't know nothing about the package,” he was recorded as saying in a garda interview and he said the drugs in the package weren't his but admitted owning the amphetamines, which he would sometimes sell to friends.

He owned a car and a boat, with the latter said to be of not much value, and said he had inherited an apartment from his mother in Warsaw, which he had sold.

He also told gardai he was owned about €2,000 or €3,000 and after he had paid his rent of €650 he would have about €200 disposable income each month.

The package sent to his house had his mobile number on it and had come from Poland and there were messages on his phone which indicated drug dealing.

He indicated that he did not expect that amount of drugs to arrive and didn't know what they were.

In summary, he accepted that the amphetamines were his but disavowed any knowledge of the other drugs.

Replying to Damien Colgan SC (with David Nugent, BL), defending, Detective Garda Dunne said the man's house wasn't in great condition and he was in receipt of €245 per week.

The garda also said there was no sign of any wealth in the accused's Credit Union account and indeed he had a loan the Credit Union.

He added that it was his opinion that Mr Klosiewicz was taking the drugs in to clear a debt.

Shane Geraghty, BL, prosecuting, said the maximum penalty for possession of more than €13,000 was life in prison with a 10-year sentence the presumptive minimum.

Mr Colgan said the court could deviate from the minimum, stating the accused had pleaded guilty, complied with the terms of his bail and did not have the trappings of wealth.

Mr Colgan acknowledged that a probation report indicated the man was at a high risk of reoffending and counsel added that nearly €50,000 worth of drugs was a significant sum.

Judge Sinead McMullan remanded the man on bail to this Friday for sentencing and said he would be getting a custodial sentence.

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