Six men charged over massive €157 million drugs haul seek to have charges dismissed

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.

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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.