Thirty ‘deal bags’ found in Mullingar drugs search

A man in his 20s was caught with more than 30 “deal bags” of cocaine during a random drugs search, a court has heard.

Philip Dudek (25), 36 Farran, Ashe Road, Mullingar, Westmeath, pleaded guilty to the possession of the controlled drugs and to a second, more serious count of possession for the purposes of sale or supply following an incident at St Etchen’s Court, Kinnegad, Westmeath on May 31, 2025.

The father of one was apprehended after gardaí, who had been on “covert patrol” in the area, spotted him acting in a suspicious manner.

Sgt Orla Keenan said following a search carried out under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, gardaí recovered 31 “deal bags” of suspected cocaine to the value of €3,100.

The seized drugs were later forwarded for further analysis to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) officials in Dublin, resulting in the original estimated value being reduced to approximately €1,652.

Louis Kiernan, defending, said a plea to both Section 3 and 15 drugs charges could be entered, in addition to a further charge his client faced concerning a public order spat outside Mullingar Courthouse some two months earlier.

In outlining the state evidence, Sgt Keenan said Mr Dudek was caught on a WhatsApp recording trading insults with another man “on the steps of the courthouse” just before 2pm on March 20, 2025.

The court was told Mr Dudek invited his rival to engage in a fight away from CCTV cameras as the two men walked away from the court and continued to shout abuse while “in each other’s faces”.

Mr Kiernan said his client had had a difficult childhood but was trying to steer clear of trouble, having become a father at the age of 17.

“We are not making any excuses for that (drugs incident),” said Mr Kiernan, alluding to how Mr Dudek’s involvement had come from a “certain element of bad company” he had been keeping at the time.

“He got into difficulties with his own partner and she didn’t approve of it, but he has retrieved the situation and he has learned his lesson.”

Turning his attention to the public order charge, Mr Kiernan insisted the incident did not descend any further than a “lot of shaping” and “handbags” on the day.

Judge Bernadette Owens said regardless of what led to the verbal exchange, the court was growing increasingly alarmed at similar incidents in the vicinity of the courthouse.

“It is the frequency of these matters that I am concerned about,” she said.

Mr Kiernan accepted that, noting that Mr Dudek’s involvement did not go any further than an exchange of words.

“He is not proud of himself, but there was no physicality from either party. It was a shouting match, and that was borne out by the recording.”

Given his lack of previous convictions, Mr Kiernan asked for a probation report on his client to allow him put his “best foot forward” in due course.

Judge Owens affirmed that and remanded Mr Dudek on bail to Mullingar District Court on May 28.