Six men charged over massive €157 million drugs haul seek to have charges dismissed
Non-jury Special Criminal Court told defendants are to make an application under the Criminal Procedure Act
Six of seven men who were due to go on trial this Monday for offences relating to one of the largest drugs' hauls in Irish history are to seek to have the charges against them dismissed.
The Special Criminal Court has heard that the six, who are charged with offences arising from the seizure of 2.25 tonnes of cocaine on board the ship the MV Matthew, intend to make applications under the Criminal Procedure Act.
If successful in their applications, the charges will be dismissed without their trials going ahead.
Under the Act, the reasons for the application and the substance of the submissions cannot be reported. The hearings are due to begin on Tuesday before the three-judge, non-jury court and are expected to last three to four days.
The 2.25 tonnes of cocaine that was seized from the MV Matthew, a Panamanian-registered bulk carrier, has an estimated value of more than €157 million.
The ship was boarded in a dramatic operation by the Army Rangers, a specialist wing of the Irish Defence Forces, in September 2023.
Those due to go on trial are Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk, aged 32, Vitaliy Vlasoi, aged 32, Vitaliy Lapa, aged 61; Iranians Soheil Jelveh, aged 51, and Saeid Hassani, aged 39; Dutch national Cumali Ozgen, aged 49, and Filipino Harold Estoesta, aged 31.
Vitaliy Lapa is the only one of the accused who is not making an application under the Criminal Procedure Act to have his case dismissed. He is accused of an offence contrary to section 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 on dates between September 24 and September 26, 2023, both dates inclusive.
Mr Lapa is also charged with an offence under s.72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 that between 15 July and September 25, with knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation, he contributed to an activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such activity could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by that criminal organisation.
Soheil Jelveh, Mykhailo Gavryk, Vitaliy Vlasoi, Harold Estoesta, Saeid Hassani, Cumali Ozgen face similar charges and are further charged under the Criminal Justice (Illicit Traffic by Sea) Act 2003.
UK national Jamie Harbron has previously pleaded guilty to an offence arising from the seizure. He will appear before the court later this year for a sentencing hearing.
Harbron, aged 31, of South Avenue, Billingham in the UK pleaded guilty that on a date between September 21 and September 25, 2023, both dates inclusive, he attempted to have cocaine in his possession for the purpose of sale or supply, an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act.