HIGH LIFE | 

How Dublin playboy Fran Fennell paid for lifestyle by smuggling Kinahan coke Down Under

Fennell realised that there were huge profits to be made from selling cocaine in Australia where there was a huge mark-up on the price of the drug

Today at 11:02

PLAYBOY cocaine dealer Fran Fennell’s days of mixing with models and socialites in glamorous nightclubs came to an abrupt end yesterday when he was jailed for eight years for drug trafficking.

For years Fennell (34) managed to straddle two very different worlds – partying with high-society models and executives while also keeping ties with senior Kinahan Cartel criminals.

His social media accounts – which have long been shut down – showed how Fennell jetted across the world for holidays in Australia, Dubai, Cuba, Holland, Phillipines, South Africa, Spain, Ibiza and even Colombia.

While he was in Dublin, the Ballymun-native lived in a luxury apartment and mixed with the high-society scene and was his relationship with influencers were discussed on gossip website.

But unlike some of his rich pals who inherited their wealth, Fennell had to pay for his lifestyle and his cash came from selling cocaine.

Gardai believe Fennell became a leading supplier of cocaine to Dublin’s poshest drug users, while also mixing socially with his clients.

Unlike his well-heeled pals, Fennell forged ties with some of the capital’s most dangerous criminals as a teenager.

When he was just a young man, Fennell had become involved in the drugs trade and had been mentored by gangster Eamon ‘The Don’ Dunne.

This photographs shows Fennell enjoying a night out with Dunne and his pal Brian O’Reilly – who narrowly escaped with his life on two occasions after being shot by gunmen.

After Dunne was murdered in 2010, Fennell built links with key figures in the Kinahan network.

Fennell is believed to have sourced cocaine from the Kinahan franchise ultimately controlled by mobster Ross Browning.

But during a trip to Australia, Fennell realised that there were huge profits to be made from selling cocaine Down Under where there was a huge mark-up on the price of the drug.

He set up a network of human couriers and transported a fortune in cocaine from Ireland to Australia, using models, executives and students to carry the drugs internally across the globe before handing them over to Fennell’s Australian associates.

The Irish mules would ‘body-pack’ 300 or 400 grammes of cocaine and fly into New Zealand and Australia.

According to a 2018 global survey, a gram of cocaine costs $360, the equivalent of €205, in New Zealand – the highest price in the world.

Female mules were accompanied by male chaperones, with the pairs posing as couples going on backpacking holidays in Australia.

Sources say that while men sometimes carried the drugs internally, female mules were preferred as they could remove their cargo during the long flight Down Under, inserting it again before landing.

The hugely lucrative route is believed to have been operated for at least four years and was under surveillance and investigation for two years, in a joint operation between Gardaí and Australia’s federal police.

Once the drugs had been successfully transported they were sold through a network of Irish expats in Australia and the funds were then returned to Ireland by wire transfer.

However, Fennell’s unexplained wealth made him the prime target for police forces in Ireland, New Zealand and Australia.

When his phone was seized Darwin Airport in April 2015, the end was in sight for Fennell’s playboy lifestyle.

Messages and information from the phone were downloaded and shared with gardai.

Gardai carried out an unrelated search of Fennell’s Dublin home on October 28, 2015 and three phones, including the handset which was downloaded by Australian authorities, were seized.

Drugs paraphernalia and €7,000 cash were observed by gardai during this search.

In January 2016, gardai carried out more raids and seized items including drugs paraphernalia, quantities of cash, receipts for luxury hotels, and expensive watches

In 2018, New Zealand authorities relieved him of €50,000 after a court ruled he had used the human couriers to supply coke and ecstasy there and in Australia.

A Proceeds of Crime case there heard that almost $250,000 Australian (circa €155,000) was shifted by Fennell using banks, Western Union and couriers over a six-month period in 2014.

This week, Fennell was described as the head of a criminal enterprise as he was sentenced, along with three associates, in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

The court was told Fennell directed the other men, some of whom were based in Australia, in relation to the importation of the drugs, accompanying and meeting drugs mules, obtaining mixing agents and drug paraphernalia and then repatriating the profits of the drugs trade via Western Union transfers.

Judge Pauline Codd noted that each of the accused men had committed the offences in full knowledge that they were being carried out on behalf of a criminal drug organisation.

She said that the amounts of money involved were not large but the men’s state of knowledge about the drug trade was an aggravating factor in the case.

She noted that between 11 and seven years had elapsed since the offences and some of the men had “self rehabilitated.”

Fennell pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to commit a serious offence on dates between 2012 and 2016 and a charge of directing a criminal organisation was taken into consideration.

He has 45 previous convictions.

Defence counsel said Fennell used his “innate intelligence to direct his own criminal enterprise”, but had put his hands up to “serious criminal activity”.

He said his client had built the organisation “from the bottom up” which was “extraordinary in many ways but wrong”.

Judge Codd said Fennell had been the main beneficiary and played a central role in all activities.

She said he had viewed the enterprise as a “get rich quick scheme” and was living a lavish lifestyle.

She said the amount of money involved, just under €30,000, was relatively low but it was aggravating that the criminal organisation was his brainchild and he had organised others to carry out tasks on it’s behalf.

She noted the exploitation of vulnerable people in the form of “drug mules.”

She said he was “at the top rung of the ladder” and the “master mind” of extensive and serious criminality.

Judge Codd set a headline sentence of 14 years before noting mitigating circumstances including his guilty plea, his age at the time and evidence of steps towards rehabilitation. She said he had used his time in custody for growth, shown remorse and gained insight into his offending.

She also took into account his former drug addiction and difficult family background.

Read more

She imposed a sentence of ten years with the final two years suspended on strict conditions.

Three of his associates were also sentenced yesterday as part of the same case.

Christopher Mellon (32) of Distillery Apartments, Distillery Road, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to two county of money laundering in 2014. He has no previous convictions.

Judge Codd said he had transferred money on two occasions and accompanied a drugs mule to Perth.

She said he sought payment of €5,000 for this on his return to Dublin. She said this was different to many cases where the person was offending while “in hock” to drug dealers.

Judge Codd noted in mitigation Mellon’s guilty plea and his “remorse, shame and embarrassment.”

She said he had “self rehabilitated completely” and was now successful running a number of businesses. She said at the time of the offending he had been 23-years -old, living a “party lifestyle” and taking cocaine.

She said his involvement was of short duration, and while it was morally deplorable, he was a first time offender.

She imposed three and a half years which she suspended in full. She ordered that he pay €10,000 to the Anna Livia project, commenting this was approximately the amount of money he laundered.

Alan Fagan (35) of Grove Wood, Finglas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring the proceeds of criminal conduct into the state on dates between 2012 and 2016.

Judge Codd described Alan Fagan as a “trusted lieutenant” to Fennell and said he was the principal agent for importation of controlled drug into New Zealand. “A leading lieutenant on the ground.”

She said Alan Fagan was instrumental in the drugs enterprise and central to the organisation.

He carried out tasks such as meeting drug couriers, mixing and distributing drugs and transferring profits. She noted at one point he wanted to stop, but was “coaxed back” and there were no threats keeping him in.

She said he transferred €31,000 in total, noting he been involved in the repatriation of drugs money over a protracted period and was a central and dedicated cog in the illicit drugs trade.

Judge Codd set a headline sentence of nine years before noting his guilty plea, remorse, self rehabilitation and pro-social life since the offending. She also noted testimonials and a letter to the court outlining he was “not the man he was 8 years ago.”

Judge Codd imposed a sentence of six years and suspended the final four and a half years, saying she was satisfied his rehabilitation was exceptional.

Paul Fagan (42) of Clontarf Road, Clontarf pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring the proceeds of criminal conduct into the state on dates in 2014.

Judge Codd noted his offences spanned just eight months but said he was a significant and trusted agent acting under the direction of Fennell involved in the receipt of drugs couriers and drugs into Australia, including administering drugs to help “mules” expel the drugs.

She said he also was involved in repatriating significant amounts of money he knew to be the proceeds of the drugs trade. “He was a central cog in Mr Fennell’s criminal wheel,” she said.

She noted his drug addiction at the time and that there was no evidence he was living “the high life.” She imposed a headline sentence of eight years before taking into account his guilty plea, rehabilitation, remorse and his insight into his offending.

She imposed a sentence of six years and suspended the final three and a half years on conditions.

Aaron King (30) of Tauleurs, Point Quay Rd, Rush pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering in 2014. He has 22 previous convictions.

Judge Codd noted his role included wrapping the drugs for drugs mules, finding mixing agents and money laundering. She said while the amount of money laundered was not substantial it was aggravating that he knew what he was involved in. She set a six year headline sentence.

She noted his childhood was chaotic and unstable and he had been become “swept up in a lifestyle” while young and vulnerable. She took into account his offending occurred over a discreet time period and he was the youngest of the men involved, just 21 years old at the time.

She noted he was continuing to work on his rehabilitation, as well as engaging in education and therapy. Judge Codd set a six year headline sentence and in light of mitigation imposed a four and a half year sentence and suspended the final 18 months on conditions.

During sentencing Judge Codd also took into account testimonials, character references and reports, as well as personal letters from the men and their families.

She noted the men had been young but said most young men at that age have a more focused moral compass and do not allow themselves to become cogs in the drug trade.