Courts / Ireland / Report
Ukrainian man charged in relation to MV Matthew raid admits to drugs charge
Summary
Ukrainian national Vitaliy Lapa pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to attempting to possess cocaine for supply, an offence committed between September 21 and 25, 2023. The court accepted the plea on a full facts basis. Lapa also faces a separate charge of facilitating a serious offence by a criminal organisation, which the prosecution stated would be dealt with in the usual way. Ms Justice Melanie Greally, presiding with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Grainne Malone, remanded Lapa in custody until February 24 for a case mention. She declined to order a probation report at this stage but indicated it might be considered later. Lapa was one of seven men linked to the seizure of 2.25 tonnes of cocaine from the MV Matthew, the largest such seizure in Irish history. The other six accused—Mykhailo Gavryk, Vitaliy Vlasoi, Soheil Jelveh, Saeid Hassani, Cumali Ozgen, and Harold Estoesta—applied to have their drug trafficking charges dismissed. The court is scheduled to rule on these applications this week. Separately, UK national Jamie Harbron previously pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply arising from the same incident. He is awaiting a sentencing hearing later this year.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Ukrainian man charged in relation to MV Matthew raid admits to drugs charge. Charges or matters: attempted to have in his possession a controlled drug, namely cocaine, for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying the drug to another; participated in, or contributed to, activity intending to, or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by that criminal organisation; attempted to have cocaine in his possession for the purpose of sale or supply; drug trafficking offences at sea. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- September 21 Incident
- September 2023 Other
- July 15 Other
- September 23 2023 Other
- February 24 Adjournment
- January 13 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 25, 2023 Incident
- 2017 to 2023 Incident
- 2025-01-27 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: attempted to have cocaine in his possession for the purpose of sale or supply (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Defendant
Charges: attempted to have in his possession a controlled drug, namely cocaine, for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying the drug to another; participated in, or contributed to, activity intending to, or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by that criminal organisation (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: remanded Lapa in custody until February 24
Places mentioned
- Special Criminal Court
- South Avenue
Topics
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