A man described as a ‘drugs baron’ has been jailed for 18 years after being caught with €6.2 million worth of heroin.

Michael Byrne, of Old Tower in Clondalkin in Dublin, was convicted by a jury earlier this year of possessing the drug for sale or supply in the Culmore Road area of Palmerstown on January 15, 2008.

In jailing him at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Frank O’Donnell said the 36 year old had perjured himself in the witness box in a well rehearsed performance that Laurence Olivier would have been proud of.

Detective Sergeant Greg Sheehan says Byrne was a major player in the Dublin drugs trade.

“There’s always somebody else there to supply a market” he said.

“If there’s a market there, somebody will supply it; and that’s our task to try and stop the people making the profit from that drug which has been seen here today in the courts”.

“I would say he is possibly the most significant person in the west of Dublin city at this current time” he added.