Indian seaman remanded in custody after Dublin Airport smuggling charge

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Ayyappan Govindaraj was remanded in custody after bail was refused at Dublin District Court, where he faced two charges under the Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act. The charges alleged that he intentionally assisted another person’s entry into, transit across or presence in the State in breach of immigration laws.

The court heard that Garda National Immigration Bureau officers arrested Govindaraj at Dublin Airport’s Terminal 1. Garda John McCann said two other passengers had no documents when they disembarked, and their passports were allegedly found in Govindaraj’s luggage. The report said the two men had applied for asylum.

Judge Grainne Malone refused bail and remanded him in custody pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecution. Govindaraj had not said how he would plead and was due to appear again on Thursday.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.