Courts / Ireland / Report

Two men go on trial over €157m MV Matthew cocaine seizure

Summary

Two men have gone on trial at the Special Criminal Court, where they deny possessing 2.2 tonnes of cocaine for sale or supply on board the Panamanian cargo ship MV Matthew. Iranian Saeid Hassani (39) and Filipino Harold Estoesta (31) were arraigned and pleaded not guilty to all charges. They are alleged to have possessed controlled drugs, namely cocaine, for the purpose of selling or supplying them in contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations, 2017 to 2023, on September 24, 2023, within the State's territorial sea. They are further charged with possessing cocaine for sale or supply to a value of €13,000 or more between September 24 and 26, 2023, at locations outside the State. Each man also faces a charge of participating in or contributing to the activity of a criminal organisation with knowledge of its existence, intending to facilitate a serious offence. The trial is due to begin before the non-jury Special Criminal Court, with Ms Justice Melanie Greally presiding over the three-judge court. Four co-accused – Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk (32) and Vitaliy Vlasoi (32), Iranian Soheil Jelveh (51), and Dutch national Cumali Ozgen (49) – last week pleaded guilty to similar offences connected to the seizure. The 2.25 tonnes of cocaine seized from the MV Matthew has an estimated value of more than €157 million. The ship was boarded in a dramatic operation by the Army Rangers in September 2023.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Two men go on trial over €157m MV Matthew cocaine seizure. Charges or matters: all charges; similar offences connected to the seizure. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• September 24, 2023 Incident
• September 24 Incident
• September 2023 Other
• 2017 to 2023 Other
• 2025-02-10 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Trial

Read the original CNI report