Special Criminal Court adjourns Kerry meth case to review data security

James Leen’s trial in the Special Criminal Court was adjourned on Friday to give gardaí time to assess the security of a server used by a Texas‑based expert to examine sensitive phone data.

Leen, 43, of Pilgrim Hill, Kilmorna, Listowel, Co Kerry, faces five charges linked to Ireland’s largest crystal meth seizure, including directing a criminal organisation and importing methylamphetamine valued at €13,000 or more.

Senior counsel for the defence, Colm Smyth, had requested that a US expert analyse data from phones belonging to proposed witnesses. State counsel John Berry SC explained that a protocol required the defence to extract non‑personal information for transfer to the US, with a copy sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Berry said the entire data set was instead placed on a server in Ireland, accessible remotely by the Texas expert. Gardaí have a preliminary view that the access method is secure and not “slipshod”, but the court noted the arrangement should have been disclosed.

Ms Justice Biggs adjourned the matter to the following Monday, ordering gardaí to confirm the security of the phone data and to obtain an expert explanation in clear terms.

The case stems from the seizure of 564 kg of methamphetamine, estimated at €32.8 million, from a container at Cork Port on 16 February 2024, allegedly imported from Mexico and stored at Ballyseedy Garden Centre, Tralee, before being moved to Cork for export to Australia.

Category: International

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: https://kaboompics.com/ / Pexels.