Courts

Experts for men charged with biggest drug seizure in history of state allowed examine ship at centre of €157m haul

Four crew members also granted legal aid to pay for interpreters

All four were arrested on the MV Matthew after Army Rangers boarded the bulk carrier. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Barry Roche
Tue Mar 12 2024 - 16:26

Lawyers for four men charged in connection with the largest drugs seizure in the history of the state have been given permission to have the ship at the centre of the €157 million cocaine haul examined by experts.

Four members of the crew of the MV Matthew, Ukrainians Myhailo Gavryk (30) and Vitaliy Vlasoi (30), Iranian Saeid Hassani (38) and Dutch national Cumali Ozgen (48) made their 12th court appearance when they appeared at Mallow District Court by video link today from Cork Prison.

All four were arrested on the MV Matthew after Army Rangers boarded the bulk carrier off the Cork coast in the early hours of September 26th, 2023 as part of a Joint Task Force operation involving Gardaí, Customs and the Naval Service. They found 2.2 tonnes of cocaine hidden on deck.

The four all face the same two charges – possession of over €13,000 worth of cocaine for sale or supply on board the MV Matthew on dates in September both at locations outside the State and within the territorial seas of the State, both offences being contrary to Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.

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Solicitor for Mr Hassani, Don Ryan, said he had been told by the state that he would be allowed to send an expert aboard the MV Matthew to examine the ship as part of his client’s defence against the two charges of possession for sale and supply and he hoped that would happen within the next two weeks.

Mr Ryan also applied for free legal aid for a Farsi interpreter to translate the book of evidence as Mr Hassani, who was assisted in court by a Farsi interpreter, did not have good English.

Barrister for Mr Gavryk, Ross Pratt-O’Brien, also told the court that his client had been told that he would be allowed to have an expert examine the vessel in the coming weeks and he also applied for free legal aid for a Russian interpreter.

Solicitor David O’Meara, acting for Mr Vlasoi, similarly applied for free legal aid for a Russian interpreter.

Barrister Nicholas Hall applied for free legal aid for an interpreter to translate the book of evidence into Dutch to assist Mr Ozgen.

All four lawyers made the applications after court presenter, Sgt Majella O’Sullivan, said the DPP had directed that all four be tried on indictment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on the two charges of possession for sale and supply.

Judge Colm Roberts granted the free legal aid applications for all four accused and remanded them in custody to appear again at Mallow District Court on March 26th by video link. He said it is hoped that gardaí will have the book of evidence ready to serve on them on April 23rd.

Last week another member of the crew, Filipino Harold Estoesta (30), was remanded in continuing custody to also appear at Mallow District Court on March 26th on a charge of conspiring with others to possess cocaine in the state for sale or supply contrary to Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.

When he was first charged with the offence, Mr Estoesta replied: “I believe that I just followed the orders of my seniors. I was also tricked and informed that they were spare parts. I wish to defend myself against accusations. I believe I was innocent and deserve to be free.”

The captain of the MV Matthew, Iranian Soheil Jelveh (51), is charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine for sale or supply and importing more than €13,000 worth of cocaine into the state on September 24th 2023. He is due back before Wexford District Court on March 25th.

Two other men, Jamie Harbron (31) of South Avenue, Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, England and Ukrainian national Vitaliy Lapa (50) of no fixed abode were charged with attempting to possess drugs worth more than worth more than €13,000 for the purpose of sale or supply between September 21st and September 25th 2023. Both are due to appear again at Wexford District Court on March 25th.

Barry Roche

Barry Roche

Barry Roche is Southern Correspondent of The Irish Times

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