Athlone duo face drug trafficking charges

Two Athlone men are facing a lengthy stretch in a Venezuelan prison if found guilty of drug trafficking offences after being arrested last week. Dermot O'Neill Jnr and Leigh O'Neill, who are originally from Parnell Square and in their early 20s, are in custody in the South American country following their arrest. If they are convicted of the offences they could be jailed for up to ten years. They could also face up to two years on remand before being sentenced. They are due to brought before a court in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, on Friday. The two men were reported to be accompanying Martin 'Butch' Beirne, who died last Wednesday in Venezuela after ingesting drugs. Mr Beirne was found in a hotel room in Venezuela and was brought to hospital, where he later died. It is understood Mr Beirne was attempting to smuggle drugs when cocaine-filled condoms he had ingested burst, killing him. Mr Beirne had been living in Boyle and it is reported he had links to a prominent Sligo crime family. A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the Department is providing consular assistance to the O'Neill brothers and also to the family of Martin Beirne, but said she could not comment further on individual cases. Ireland does not have an embassy in Venezuela but an official travelled from Mexico to provide assistance. The Department of Foreign Affairs has published detailed information on its website for Irish citizens planning to travel to Venezuela and under the heading 'Local Laws & Customs' it states: "Arrests for drug trafficking are common and conviction leads to severe penalties, including up to two years being held on remand prior to sentencing and lengthy prison sentences (usually ten years) in harsh and dangerous conditions in Venezuelan jails. Many prisoners carry firearms and explosive devices and violence is common. "You should be extremely wary of any offers of remuneration or hospitality in Venezuela in exchange for transporting packages in your luggage back to Ireland."