A man has gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court charged with trafficking illegal immigrants into Ireland two years ago.
Olaitan Ilori (38), Oak Drive, Blessington, Co Wicklow, pleaded not guilty that between March 1st and October 27th, 2004, he organised or knowingly facilitated the entry into the State of 14 Mauritian nationals, whom he knew or had reasonable cause to believe were illegal immigrants.
Alex Owens SC (with Patrick McGrath BL), prosecuting, told the jury it would be the State's case that Mr Ilori travelled to Mauritius prior to October 27th, 2004.
Mr Owens said Mr Ilori met the 12 adults and two children on October 22nd and 25th, when he represented himself as a lawyer and an Irish immigration expert. He said he would travel with the group to Ireland and advised them to tell immigration officers at Dublin airport they were tourists on "a fact-finding mission".
Mr Ilori allegedly told the group they could tell immigration officers that if they were offered work in Ireland they would then seek a work permit. He also allegedly promised to intervene if there was any question of them being deported.
Mr Owens said the State intended to prove that Mr Ilori did all this "knowing that these men, women and children were illegal immigrants".
He said this group of Mauritian nationals arrived at Dublin airport from Paris on October 27th, 2004, and on presenting themselves to immigration control, claimed they were tourists.
Mr Owens said the Director of Public Prosecutions would prove these people were in fact looking to work in Ireland and as they had no work permit issued by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.