The case against a woman accused of a drugs offence collapsed in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today when a judge ruled that evidence had been tampered with.
Ncedisannani Swana of Castleview Walk in Swords was charged with possession of drugs with intent to supply after she accepted a package of cannabis delivered to her home in October 2005.
However Judge Pat McCartan directed the jury to find the 30-year-old not guilty after he heard customs officers in Portlaoise opened the package after becoming suspicious of it.
He said customs officers should have got a ministerial order before opening the package.
Customs officers found cannabis when they opened the package and called the Garda National Drugs Unit.
Detective Garda Willie Armstrong, dressed as a postman, delivered the package to Castleview Walk where Ms Swana signed for it and accepted it even though it was addressed to a Mr Barry Gorman.
Gardaí subsequently searched the house, found the cannabis and arrested and charged her with drug dealing.
This ruling may affect the way customs and gardaí investigate drug trafficking and carry out deliveries and the prosecution of a number of similar cases.
Gardaí and the Revenue Commissioners are studying the judgment, which is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court.
