Four more men remanded in custody over €157m cocaine seizure off Cork coast

Four men have been remanded in custody after they were charged in connection with the largest ever drugs seizure in Ireland when cocaine worth in excess of €157 million was seized by gardaí, customs and the Naval Service off the south coast.

Ukrainians Myhailo Gavryk (30) and Vitaliy Vlasoi (30), Iranian Saeid Hassani (38) and Dutch national, Cumali Ozgen (48) were brought amid tight security to Mallow District Court where they were each charged in relation to the seizure of 2.2 tonnes of cocaine on the carrier, MV Matthew.

Each man faced a single charge of conspiring with others among his fellows accused to have in his possession more than €13,000 worth of cocaine for supply within the state on September 24th, contrary to Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.

Det Gda David Moran of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau gave evidence of arrest charge and caution in relation to Mr Gavryk and told the court that the accused made no reply to the charge after caution. Mr Gavryk was assisted during the hearing by a Ukrainian interpreter.

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Det Garda Mark Donovan gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Mr Ozgen of Van Diesen Straat, Den Haag, the Netherlands and told the court Mr Ozgen made no reply to the charge after caution. Mr Ozgen was assisted during the hearing by a Dutch interpreter.

Det Sgt Val Russell gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Mr Vlasoi, who was assisted in court by a Russian interpreter. He said that Mr Vlasoi gave a lengthy reply to the charge after caution, which he then read out to the court.

He said Mr Vlasoi replied to the charge: “I saw straight or direct evidence of the connection between the captain and another vessel or with somebody he contacted – it was shown as straight evidence – I did not see straight evidence against myself.”

Det Garda Lorraine Brennan gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to the fourth accused, Saied Hassani and said he made no reply to the charge after caution. Mr Hassani was assisted during the hearing by a Farsi interpreter.

Sgt Linda O’Leary said that the charges precluded any application for bail at District Court level and she applied for a remand in custody to appear again at Mallow District Court on October 10th by video link and defence solicitors, Ciara Halnan, David O’Meara, Joe Cuddigan and Don Ryan consented.

[ Ireland’s biggest cocaine haul: The story of record seizure of 2.2 tonnes of drugs off Cork coast ]

However, Mr Cuddigan for Mr Vlasoi said that while he would be formally writing to the gardaí about the matter, he wanted to place it on record that he would by applying to have an expert gain access to the MV Matthew which was central to the investigation but was “a movable object”.

He said that he wanted to have the opportunity to allow the expert to examine the vessel before any structural changes were carried out as part of the garda examination of the bulk carrier as such an examination would be central to Mr Vlasoi’s defence against the charge.

Mr Ryan made a similar application in relation to his client, Mr Hassani saying that it would be important that an expert would be allowed to examine the ship which would assist in his defence against the conspiracy charge.

Judge Colm Roberts granted the state application for a remand in custody for all four accused and remanded them to appear again at Mallow District Court on October 10th by video link. He adjourned the issue of granting free legal aid to all four accused until that date.

The four accused are the latest to be charged in connection with the huge seizure which followed a Joint Task Force operation by Gardai, Customs and the Naval Service when a team of elite Army Rangers sworn in as customs officers boarded the MV Matthew off Ballycotton on September 25th.

On Monday, the captain of the MV Matthew, Iranian national, Soheil Jelveh was brought before Wexford District Court where he was charged with a total of three offences in relation to the seizure of 2.2 tonnes of cocaine aboard the bulk carrier, MV Matthew off the Irish coast on September 24th.

Mr Jelveh was charged that at a location within the state, he had in his possession cocaine, contrary to Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, and that he had in his possession cocaine for sale or supply, contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 on September 24th 2023

Mr Jelveh was also charged with a third offence at a location within the state, he did import cocaine with a street value in excess of €13,000 in contravention of Section 15B of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, also on September 24th 2023.

Judge John Cheatle accepted garda evidence that Mr Jelveh posed a flight risk if granted bail given that he had no ties to the jurisdiction and he refused him bail and remanded him in custody to appear again at Wexford District Court on October 9th by video link.

Two other men charged as part of the investigation, Briton James Harbron (30) of South Avenue, Billingham, Stockton on Tees, UK and Ukrainian Vitaliy Lapa (60) of no Fixed Abode were also remanded in continuing custody to appear at Wexford District Court on October 16th

Both men, who had been airlifted off the fishing vessel, Castlemore had been charged with conspiracy to import drugs under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 on September 24th when they appeared at a special sitting of Waterford District Court last Friday.