Man who fled war in Ukraine lived in squalor at illegal Louth cigarette factory
The Drogheda IndependentA 41-year-old man who fled war-torn Ukraine with his family ended up working at an illegal cigarette factory in Co. Louth, the circuit court has been told.
Maksym Kozachuk left his wife and daughter behind in Germany after being given a one-way ticket to travel to Ireland for a job.
He lived in squalor in a mobile home at the site of the operation in Richardstown, Ardee, and received no money for his role as a handyman.
Mr Kozachuk, who had the assistance of an interpreter, signed a plea of guilty in the district court to a charge of being concerned in the production, processing, attempted production or attempted processing of illicit tobacco product.
He was one of five men arrested when Customs Officers and Gardaí raided the premises on March 3, 2025.
They found an “advanced and complex factory” on entering at 10.55am.
There were 660,000 cigarettes packed in sleeves of 200 and 8 tonnes of raw tobacco inside.
The cigarettes had a retail value of €595,485, with a potential loss to the exchequer of €470,745.
The unmanufactured tobacco had a potential to produce eight million cigarettes.
A Customs & Excise Officer testified that accommodation was provided in two mobile homes.
Mr Kozachuk had been in Ireland approximately one month, and said that he had been working as a handyman and in security at the site.
He told investigators that he received no payment for his time in Ireland and if he had would have returned to his family.
A friend had promised him a job. He was not involved in the planning or operation of the factory but was assisting those who were, the officer continued.
There are no previous convictions. He had co-operated.
Cross-examined by barrister Niall Mackin, the witness said that Mr Kozachuk, a Ukrainian national, arrived from Berlin. He had no ticket home.
He never left the premises to where food was delivered two or three times a week. He was not aware of the geographical surroundings.
Squalor was the word the officer said he would use to describe conditions in the mobile home.
It was submitted by Mr Mackin that his client had been reckless. He only became aware of the activity going on when he arrived.
The defendant was married 10 years and had a seven-year-old daughter. He had no English. His aim was to provide for his family.
A letter from his wife was handed into court.
Judge Dara Hayes remarked that this was a substantial and sophisticated tobacco manufacturing operation. There had been substantial fraud on public revenues.
It was not suggested the accused was responsible for it. His culpability was at the lower level.
A 15 months sentence was imposed, the final six months suspended, and backdated to January 11 last to account for time spent in custody.