Border Force intercepted a package containing 750 Class C drug tablets destined for Portadown, a Craigavon court hears
Border Force intercepted a package containing 750 Class C drug tablets, a court in Craigavon hears.
Nicola Krzechka, aged 21, from Ulsterville Gardens, Portadown, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with attempting to import a controlled drug between July 30 and August 3 last year.
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Police were notified by Border Force on August 1 last year of a “postal intercept” containing 750 pregabalin tablets to Ulsterville Gardens, Portadown.
The defendant told police she was attempting to import the drugs for personal use to “self-medicate”.
"She said she used a different name in an attempt to evade detection following a previous interception also,” a Prosecutor told the court.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said that previous interception on June 25 last year resulted in a caution being administered to the defendant.
The defendant’s barrister Mr David McKeown said his client had physical and mental health issues however this has been "a wake up call”.
He said his client instructs she hadn’t taken any illicit substances since this incident.
"She is very keen not to return before a court again. This has been a salutary lesson for her,” said Mr McKeown.
District Judge Ranaghan said custody would not "do any good” and referred to the Pre-Sentence Report. “The best way to stop you doing this again is to put you under Probation supervision for 12 months.”
The District Judge said Probation will try and educate the defendant on the dangers of self-medication and “the danger to society in general by the importation of any form of drugs even Class C”.