Two in court charged with human trafficking at Dublin Airport

Two men have appeared in court charged with

human trafficking offences at Dublin Airport. A third man was charged with immigration offences including failure to produce a passport or to present himself to an immigration officer on arrival.

Frederick Cham (61) of Railway Cottages, Hazelhatch, Celbridge, Co Kildare, and Peter Kernan (56), of Old Rectory Lodge, Celbridge, appeared before Dublin District Court yesterday.

Both were charged with two counts of facilitating the trafficking of foreign nationals into the State on January 9th and 22nd. The alleged offences are under section 2 of the Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking) Act.

The third man, Xing Wang (28), of no fixed abode, is charged under section 29 of the Theft and Fraud Offences Act 2001; section 12 of the Immigration Act, for failing to produce a passport or ID; and section 42 of the Immigration Act for failure to present to an immigration officer on arrival into the State.

No reply

He was arrested on Sunday morning in a car park at Dublin Airport. Det Garda Keith Cleary of the

Garda National Immigration Bureau

said he made no reply when formally charged at Coolock Garda station.

Giving evidence in the case of Mr Kernan, Det Garda Brendan O’Sullivan said there would be an objection to bail.

He told Judge Cormac Dunne this was due to the seriousness of the charge, his association with a criminal gang and access to false documents.

Outlining the case, he told the court that Mr Kernan, along with others, had facilitated the illegal entry into the State of foreign nationals, bypassing passport control and exiting the airport. “It is alleged a sum of money was paid for this to be done.”

Det Garda O’Sullivan told the court a considerable sum of money was seized from the defendant.

Mr Kernan’s solicitor told the court a surety had been organised for his bail application but had subsequently been withdrawn due to the level of publicity surrounding the case.

Remanded

Mr Kernan was supported in court by his two adult sons and partner.

He was remanded with consent to bail with a €2,000 bond and an independent surety of €20,000 or two each of €10,000.

Judge Dunne said that if he takes up bail he must remain at his current address, surrender his passport to gardaí and not apply for a duplicate.

He was also instructed to remain in communication with gardaí, sign on three times weekly at Leixlip Garda station and have no contact with Mr Cham.

He is due to appear before Cloverhill District Court on January 31st.

There was no bail application for Xing Wang, and the court was told it would take some time to clarify issues of identity and status.

He was remanded in custody to appear before Cloverhill District Court on Friday.

Mr Cham was also remanded until Friday, when a bail application will be made.