Courts / Kildare / Report
Aer Lingus worker jailed over illegal immigrant smuggling ring
Summary
Frederick Cham, a 63‑year‑old Aer Lingus ground handler from Railway Cottages, Hazelhatch, Celbridge, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for facilitating the illegal entry of five people into Ireland between 13 December 2016 and 22 January 2017. He pleaded guilty to five charges of assisting illegal immigrants or asylum seekers at Dublin Airport and to two charges of handling money he knew to be proceeds of crime. Cham admitted that he and another Aer Lingus employee used staff swipe cards to access an employee gate, bypassing passport control, and that they transported foreign nationals from the air‑side to the land‑side via a catering truck and a staff turnstile gate. The court noted that Cham's role was "invaluable" to the smuggling operation, which involved cash transfers from China totalling about €6,000 and payments of €2,000–€3,000 per smuggling run.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Aer Lingus worker jailed over illegal immigrant smuggling ring. Charges or matters: five charges of facilitating the entry into the State of a person who was an illegal immigrant or who was seeking asylum at Dublin Airport on dates between December 13, 2016 and January 22, 2017. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- December 13, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 22, 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 2016 Other
- January 2017 Incident
- January 10 Other
- January 22 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2018-02-07 Publication
Why: The operation came to light on January 10 last year when a man with a false Irish passport presented at the boarding gate in Dublin Airport in order to fly to London. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: five charges of facilitating the entry into the State of a person who was an illegal immigrant or who was seeking asylum at Dublin Airport on dates between December 13, 2016 and January 22, 2017 (Alleged Or Contested)
Outcome: Aer Lingus ground handler has been jailed for four years for helping to smuggle people illegally into the country.
Defendant
Charges: five charges of facilitating the entry into the State of a person who was an illegal immigrant or who was seeking asylum at Dublin Airport on dates between December 13, 2016 and January 22, 2017 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Places mentioned
Topics
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