Drugs shipment crew were 'completely expendable', garda says

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2 days ago

Two men who were to take 2.25 tonnes of cocaine from the MV Matthew and bring it to the UK were so expendable that when their ship ran aground in rough seas, their employers deleted them from a group chat and planned to complete the operation without them, the Special Criminal Court has heard.
Det Superintendent Keith Halley told the three-judge court that Englishman Jamie Harbron was on the "lowest rung" in the criminal enterprise to transport the massive drugs haul across the Atlantic, into Europe.
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Harbron was hired as a deck hand on board the Castlemore, an Irish ship which was supposed to meet the MV Matthew and take the drugs to the UK, the detective said
Under cross-examination, Det Halley told Harbron's defence counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, that Harbron's jobs appeared to include "greasing things up" or tidying the ship. He did not appear to be a "competent or good deck hand," Supt Halley said.
He could not operate the radio, find the life vests or secure a tow rope thrown from a coastguard boat in an attempt to rescue the vessel. Having been on rough seas from Friday afternoon until Sunday evening, Harbron was "very sick" and told gardai he believed he was going to die.
Harbron was finally winched to safety by a coastguard helicopter and was "very, very grateful" to his rescuers, the Superintendent said.
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When the Dubai-based organisers of the criminal enterprise realised the Castlemore had run aground, they initially told the ship's captain, Vitaliy Lapa, not to call the coastguard. They then removed the Castlemore from the virtual chat room used to communicate with the vessels and told the MV Matthew they would find another boat to make the rendezvous.
Supt Halley agreed that this indicated Harbron and Lapa were "completely expendable". Harbron appeared to have become involved in the plot at the last minute and had told gardai that he was promised €10,000 would be wiped off a €20,000 drug debt.
Lapa, the detective said, speaks no English and the two men communicated using Google Translate.
The Dubai-based leadership had an "erroneous belief" that the messages they had sent to the Castlemore would automatically delete after one hour, Supt Halley said.
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However, gardaí retrieved the messages, which were used as part of the evidence in the case.
Eight men have pleaded guilty to offences arising from the seizure of €157 million worth of drugs on board the MV Matthew. Members of the Irish Army Rangers wing of the Defence Forces boarded the ship on September 26th, 2022 in a daring mission in rough seas as the MV Matthew manoeuvred to try to evade capture.
The ship had departed from Curacao, off the Venezuelan coast and sailed across the Atlantic before arriving in Irish territorial waters.
Lenient sentencing
Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk (32) and Vitaliy Vlasoi (33); Iranians Soheil Jelveh (52) and Saeid Hassani (40); Filipino Harold Estoesta (31) and Dutch national Cumali Ozgen (50) pleaded guilty that between September 24th and 26th 2023, both dates inclusive, at locations outside the State, on board the vessel "MV Matthew" they possessed cocaine for sale or supply, in contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations.
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Ukrainian national Vitaliy Lapa (62), with an address at Rudenka, Repina Str in Berdyansk, and Jamie Harbron (31) of South Avenue, Billingham in the UK pleaded guilty that on dates between September 21st and 25th, 2023 they attempted to possess cocaine for sale or supply, in contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Lawyers for all eight asked the court to be as lenient as possible in sentencing. For mitigation, they rely on their guilty pleas and the fact that their time in prison will be spent in a foreign country away from their families.
None of those before the court were the leaders of the criminal organisation involved in transporting the drugs but were hired to perform specific roles on the two ships, lawyers said.
The only defendant with a record of offending is Jamie Harbron, whose convictions include cannabis and cocaine possession in the UK. Lawyers for the others submitted that their clients were of good character before this offence, but they "succumbed" to temptation, hoping to resolve various financial difficulties.
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Brendan Grehan SC, for Kumali Ozgen, said his client's job on board the MV Matthew was to "mind the cargo". He was, counsel said, the "eyes and ears" of those directing the operation from Dubai and had no seafaring experience.
Ozgen admitted to gardai that he loaded crates of drugs onto the ship and used paint thinners to try to burn the drugs when the Irish Navy began its pursuit. He also said he was to be paid €50,000 to €100,000 if successful, but has received nothing.
Mr Grehan said Ozgen took the job in a "misguided attempt" to provide for his family, in particular his son, who suffers from poor health.
Hugh Hartnett SC, for Gavryk, said his client was of excellent character before this offence. Michael Hourigan SC, for Estoesta, said his client had provided gardai with valuable information, including that when the drugs were loaded onto the MV Matthew, ordinary crew members were plied with alcohol to distract them.
Mark Lynam SC for Hassani, said this was the first time his client was involved in "anything of this kind". He had been a sailor of good character all his life but "succumbed to temptation", believing the money from this job would allow him to spend more time with his wife and family.
Colman Cody SC, for Lapa, said his client was a hard-working, law-abiding citizen and a loving husband and father. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Lapa found himself in a "vulnerable financial position". Despite having retired as a fishing captain, he was compelled to go abroad to provide for his family. "He was vulnerable to certain pressures, and that ought to be taken into account," counsel said.
Paul O'Higgins SC, for Vlasoi, said his client was the first officer on the boat but had led a blameless life before. He had limited knowledge of the operation, counsel said.
Keivon Sotoodeh BL, for Jelveh, said his client was the captain of the MV Matthew but was acting on orders from Dubai.
The court previously heard that Jelveh became frustrated with the instructions he was receiving and called the coastguard for an emergency medical evacuation. A coastguard helicopter lifted Jelveh from the MV Matthew before the ship was engaged by Irish Naval vessel the LE William Butler Yeats.
Ms Justice Melanie Greally, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Grainne Malone, will deliver the sentences on July 4th.