A Trinity student turned international drugs smuggler has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Gareth Hopkins with an addresses at Carnlough Road in Cabra, Dublin and Leixlip in Co. Kildare was caught with up to €29 million worth of cocaine. The court heard how Mr. Hopkins was an important cog in the process of bringing the drugs into Dublin Port last June.

The 33-year-old is a Trinity College computer science graduate with extensive legitimate business interests, including a small diamond mining firm in Sierra Leone.

Through his experience in the import-export business the cocaine was hidden in a shipment of timber and brought to Ireland from South America.

Following intelligence led operation, Gardai recovered the drugs during a series of raids at Ballycoolin in west Dublin and at his home in Leixlip.

Hopkins was arrested and admitted everything.

Judge Mary-Ellen Ring accepted that the Cabra native had turned to a life of crime after losing his job in 2012. She said she realised he found himself in 'serious financial difficulties'.

But told him that many Irish people with similar problems did not turn to drug dealing.

Noting the quantity, quality and value of the drug - as well as the pivotal role he played in brining it here - she then sentenced him to 15 years in jail.

The final 2 years of the sentence were suspended in light of his early plea and lack of previous convictions.