Former city businessman jailed for drug dealing
A Malaysian businessman, who at one point owned a number of Chinese restaurants in the city has been sentenced to 3 years in jail with the final year suspended for drug dealing.
43 year old Ee San Loke, pleaded guilty before Galway Circuit Criminal Court to having €20,000 worth of cannabis herb for sale or supply at Shantalla Road on June 7 last year.
He also pleaded guilty to having 8 thousand euro worth of the drug for sale or supply at Dr Mannix Road, Salthill on January 15, 2012.
At the time of his arrest, Loke was divorced, working in a casino and smoking twenty joints a day.
Garda Barry Walsh gave evidence he found a kilo of the drug, with a street value of €20,000, in Loke's possession last June.
The accused told him he was getting paid €300 to mind the drugs for someone else.
Garda Walsh said Loke came to Ireland to study English in 1989.
He became a successful businessman, owning a few Chinese restaurants.
However, he gambled the restaurants away.