Drug mule visiting Ireland as he was ‘big fan of Conor McGregor' jailed for importing cocaine
A drugs mule who claimed he was visiting Ireland because he was a big fan of Conor McGregor and he liked the look of Irish pubs in the movies has been jailed for importing cocaine.
Anthony Matheus Rosas De Souza (29) also told custom officials when he was stopped at Dublin Airport that he had heard Irish beer was good and that he was planning to meet up with a woman he had connected with on Tinder.
He later admitted that he had been forced to transport the drugs from Brazil because he owed money to a loan shark. His mother was threatened and he was told that if he brought the suitcase into Ireland his debt would be written off.
De Souza, who is originally from the Amazon region of Brazil, has been on remand in custody since his arrest at the airport. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to importing cocaine at Terminal One, Dublin Airport on November 1, 2024. He has no previous convictions.
Garda Andrew Fay told Simon Donagh BL, prosecuting, that the suitcase was X-rayed after De Souza was spotted acting evasively and suspiciously. Six packages of cocaine, weighing 2.88 kilogrammes and with an estimated street value of €201,600 were found concealed in the lining of the luggage.
Gda Fay agreed with Aisling Ginger-Quinn BL, defending, that her client said he owed money to loan sharks and was approached by others who told him if he did this favour 'his debt would be forgiven'.
He was provided with the flight but got no further payment for bringing the drugs to Dublin.
Gda Fay accepted that De Souza was acting as a drugs mule.
Judge Orla Crowe accepted that De Souza was deliberately acting as a drug mule and brought drugs into this country.
She said the courts see 'day in and day out, the wreckage, chaos and havoc' caused by the drug trade in this country and noted it was people like De Souza playing a 'key component' in the trading of drugs that facilitate this.
She acknowledged that De Souza will be serving a sentence away from his 'supportive family' before she set a headline sentence of four years and six months.
Judge Crowe imposed a sentence of three years which she backdated to when De Souza first went into custody last November.
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The Journal
3 hours ago
- The Journal
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Support The Journal Investigates Cameras in maternity hospital and courthouse Concerns regarding use of Hikvision surveillance technology in Irish government buildings, including inside and outside Lenister House, were first raised in policy and academic circles in 2019. However, it wasn't until late 2022, when other countries such as the UK banned the devices from 'sensitive' government sites, that public focus shifted to Ireland's use of the security cameras. In a letter sent to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission , the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) called for removal of all Hikvision devices from government buildings. The February 2023 letter warned that 'the presence of Hikvision cameras in Irish public buildings represents an unacceptable risk to privacy, data security, and human rights'. More than two years on, Hikvision cameras remain installed both inside and outside the Oireachtas. 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Government stays silent on security advice Following the British government's announcement it was to remove Hikvision cameras from sensitive locations, several councils across the UK followed suit. That includes Edinburgh City Council, which began phasing out use of the Chinese manufacturer's surveillance in late 2022. The Journal Investigates and ICCL both independently attempted to retrieve information on what security advice the government received in relation to Hikvision surveillance equipment. Sign up The Journal Investigates is dedicated to lifting the lid on how Ireland works. Our newsletter gives you an inside look at how we do this. Sign up here... Sign up .spinner{transform-origin:center;animation:spinner .75s infinite linear}@keyframes spinner{100%{transform:rotate(360deg)}} You are now signed up The Office of Public Works (OPW), which maintains security systems across the government portfolio, refused both requests on security grounds. 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The Left in the European Parliament via Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 The Left in the European Parliament via Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 Over 400 cameras in Beaumont Hospital Our investigation also reveals how the reach of Hikvision extends beyond councils. Some of Ireland's largest hospitals – including Beaumont Hospital and the National Maternity Hospital – use Hikvision cameras in their security systems. Beaumont told us it currently uses 400 Hikvision cameras installed across its buildings. The Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin says 80% of its CCTV cameras are Hikvision-branded. While some hospitals told The Journal Investigates they have launched reviews of their systems after learning of the risks, most say they are satisfied their networks are secure and not connected to the cloud or external monitoring. There was also concern reported in recent years over the installation of Hikvision cameras in the new National Children's Hospital. 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Irish Examiner
6 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
'I'm not taking the blame for any of this': Court hears of 'narco boat' in failed smuggling operation
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'I don't give a fuck, I'm not taking the blame for any of this,' the Irish voice said in one video. A suspected major drug smuggling operation, involving some 850kg cocaine worth an estimated €59m which gardaí believe ultimately washed up on beaches in Denmark, had failed that night. Charting waypoints Devices subsequently seized by gardaí from 10 men arrested in West Cork, including phones with the highly encrypted Graphene operating system, contained images that showed waypoints in Denmark near where the cocaine washed ashore. Waypoints charted on the Active Captain app showed locations plotted out in the Irish Sea and the English Channel just south of Land's End. A screenshot found on a seized phone seems to show the location of the Cool Explorer, taken from a marine traffic app which helps monitor the position of cargo vessels. It was to pass by Land's End in the south of Britain around March 12, 2024. On March 14 and 15, the Cool Explorer passed an area of Denmark called Sjællands Odde. Some 850kg of cocaine was discovered subsequently washed up on beaches in the area. GPS units attached to the bags matched the co-ordinates used by the Cool Explorer, the court heard. Gardaí believe that the rigid inflatable boat left Tragumna on March 12, 2024, in a failed bid to meet the Cool Explorer — a legitimate cargo vessel — to pick up some 850kg of cocaine while at sea. Seven of the 10 men arrested in connection with the alleged operation have now pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import drugs. They are Dutch national Kiumaars Ghabiri, aged 52; Serbian national Aleksander Milic, aged 46; and Spanish nationals Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz, aged 45; Juan Antonio Gallardo Barroso, aged 56; Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega, aged 36; Angel Serran Padilla, aged 40; and Anuar Rahui Chairi, aged 42. 'Co-operative of groups' The accused operated in a cell structure, Inspector Joseph Young told the Special Criminal Court. A Dutch Iranian cell, an Irish cell, and a Spanish cell were involved in the operation, the court heard. The Dutch Iranian cell served a logistical support role in the conspiracy enterprise, Insp Young said. And gardaí believe that 'a co-operative of groups' had proprietary rights over the illicit cargo, believed to be some €58m of cocaine that subsequently washed up on the Danish coast. Milic, from Belgrade, was a 'notary' or representative for the Irish cell on the rigid inflatable boat, Insp Young said. Part of his role was to provide fuel to the boat, Insp Young said. He was not in a managerial role, I think the purpose of a notary role for the group is to place a representative on the boat to oversee and see that things went to plan Following his arrest on the morning of March 14, he had medical help for problems with his teeth he suffered on rough seas on the open-topped, low profile speed boat. He had no seat in the vessel, unlike the other Spanish crew, and had no helmet or gumshield to protect him. He also had debts in Serbia, defence barrister Séamus Clarke said. The Spanish cell had first travelled to Holland in February 2024. Barroso allegedly brought the rigid inflatable boat there and they all were in the area while the boat was modified in a warehouse. The speedboat's modification would classify it as a 'narco boat'" Inspector Young said. It was probably modified to conduct drug trafficking at sea, with blackened equipment and a low profile in the water, designed not to be detected, he said. Selfies taken in Holland showed some of the men lounging on couches, smiling, and giving peace signs to the camera. Another photo showed all of them enjoying dinner and wine together around a table in a chalet in Holland. Mr Sanz and Mr Chairi appeared in many photos together, retrieved from multiple devices, and they travelled together from Lisbon to Dublin. One selfie showed them smiling as they set off, sitting next to each other in an airplane at the beginning of their ill-fated operation. 'Modest means' Mr Barroso was involved in the procurement of the rigid inflatable boat and transported it to Holland, the State alleges. He knew Mr Ortega and Mr Padilla, the court heard. Mr Barroso's wife died while he was in prison, leaving their 12-year-old daughter without her parents and being taken into the care of family, the court heard. Mr Ortega, a mechanic, had previously worked for a company which was contracted to by police in Gibraltar to fix cars and boats. However, he had been unemployed for the 11 months prior to March, 2024, defence barrister Brendan Grehan said. Mr Ortega, his long-term partner, and their daughter were a family of 'modest means', with Mr Ortega's social welfare payments of €1,500 a month due to run out. His partner earned €1,600-€1,700 a month cleaning hotels. Mr Padilla, also a father, had struggled with cocaine addiction and had lapsed into abuse again before taking the Tragumna job, defence barrister Michael Bowman said. He was hired for his experience at sea and had no proprietary interest in the cargo, Mr Bowman said. He had previously been in the army, but left due to psychological issues. He had also worked in construction and with his father who was a butcher. Mr Ghabiri, allegedly part of the Dutch-Iranian cell, provided logistical support in the enterprise, Insp Young said Born in Tehran, his home was hit by a bomb from Saddam Hussein's Iraqi regime. It killed his parents and his six siblings when he was nine-years-old, defence counsel Keith Spencer said. He was injured in the blast but survived, and was taken in by an uncle and other family members. He later suffered persecution and escaped Iran to Rotterdam in Holland, where he subsisted in a refugee centre. He worked menial jobs, picking tomatoes and flowers and cleaning toilets in the underground. He had very little education and his literacy was quite poor, Mr Spencer said. However, he was a skilled cook with a good work ethic and had subsequently worked in Spain as a chef. His sister had contracted cancer and needed support which was a factor in pushing him to take this job, Mr Spencer said. His guilty plea came very early and his involvement was not of someone at the upper echelons of this type of conspiracy, and he was not standing to profit a huge deal from it, Mr Spencer said. Childhood trauma Mr Sanz also suffered trauma in his childhood, defence barrister Elizabeth O'Connell said. Although he grew up in a middle class family, his father was an architect and his mother also had a good professional position, his parents split up very acrimoniously when he was 10 years old. He and his father moved to a small village outside Cádiz, and the relationship with his other parent 'ruptured' completely. He also lost all contact with his sister for 17 years. This was a huge trauma to Mr Sanz, and he was 'effectively let run wild' by his father as his sole guardian. Although he had a business bringing people out on boat trips to see dolphins, his early trauma and unstable childhood had 'disrupted' his life tragically. His seafaring knowledge led to his being asked by a Portuguese operative to ensure that the boat was operational and got to the water when needed, the court heard. He said he was to be paid €15,000 for the foiled Tragumna operation, but said he never received payment. Mr Sanz was 'not a person of means', and he rented an apartment with his wife who works in an airport. The Spanish were brought in as a "job lot", the defence barrister for Mr Chairi, Emmett Boyle, said. His client was employed as a subcontractor to fulfil a specific service and was not at management level, Mr Boyle said. Mr Chairi survived modestly in Malaga, and 'certainly does not live a lavish lifestyle,' Mr Boyle said. Mitigation in the men's sentence hearings will continue in the Special Criminal Court on Wednesday. Read More Bags of cocaine from cargo ship had GPS tags, Special Criminal Court hears
The Journal
7 hours ago
- The Journal
Irish, Spanish and Dutch/Iranian groups came together to launch dangerous €58m cocaine plan
AN IRISH, SPANISH and Dutch/Iranian crime grouping had come together to run a sophisticated high-tech failed operation to import €58m into Ireland, the Special Criminal Court heard today. In the second day of a sentence hearing before the three judge court sitting in Dublin Inspector Joseph Young was outlining the garda evidence gathered in the case. The accused who have pleaded guilty are: Dutch national Kiumaars Ghabiri (52), Spanish nationals Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz, (45), of no fixed address, Juan Antonio Gallardo Barroso, (56), of no fixed address, Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega, (36), of Cadiz; Angel Serran Padilla, (40), of Malaga; Anuar Rahui Chairi, (42), of Marbella; and Serbian national Aleksander Milic, (46). The men are charged with conspiracy to take possession for sale or supply of the cocaine under Section 15a of the Misuse Drugs Act. Today the court heard the nature of the cell structure of the team that came together to carry out the scheme. Young said that he considered the drugs trafficking conspiracy to be based around cooperative cell structures. He said the Dutch/Iranian cell played a role which was specific to the logistical part of the enterprise. Young showed several exhibits of photographs and CCTV of different gang members making their way to Ireland on flights from Lisbon and the UK as well as a ferry from Scotland to Northern Ireland. CCTV was also gathered of them buying equipment and downloaded seized phones which showed them taking selfies on their travels in Ireland, in the UK and in the Netherlands. In one picture there was even tourist pictures of Big Ben in London. In download there was a group photograph, at a location in the Netherlands, gang members were seen sitting smiling around a table. There was also evidence from Inspector Young that the high-powered and stealth style Rigid Inflatable Hulled Boat (RHIB) had been transported into Ireland inside a heavy goods truck. Its three 300 horsepower engines had been purchased by the criminals in Portugal. Images were shown of a rental truck used to transport the RHIB's engines across Europe. Advertisement The RHIB was brought into the country through Rosslare from Dunkirk. Gardaí learned that it was intended to be held in a commercial premises in Swords Co Dublin but later it travelled onto Omagh in Co Tyrone where the haulage company that owned a large articulated truck used in the operation was located. Young told the court that the Spanish crew members were generally hired hands working as specialists in fast boat transfers. Each of the team had separate jobs including, for example, Milic who was making sure the fuel was clean – he was also, the garda said, acting as a 'notary' for the Irish crime group involved in the operation. There were others who were mechanics for the engines as well as other experts. The court was told that the RHIB crew were at sea in very challenging conditions for close to 48 hours. While there were specialist seats for the other crew members, Milic was forced to sit elsewhere in the high speed craft and this caused him to require dental treatment on his return. Ultimately the court was told the RHIB never met the mothership Cool Explorer due to the bad weather conditions. It traveled onto its ultimate destination of St Petersburg but dumped the drugs near Jutland on the coast of Denmark. The drugs found there had a GPS tracker on board which showed that it matched the Cool Explorer's route. Gardaí also found screenshots pictures in the phone gallery of devices used by the gang arrested by the detectives in Cork that showed geolocation images of mapping that included pins of locations off Denmark. Other data on the phones seized by the gardaí were videos of reconnaissance of locations by gang members. During cross examination by Senior Counsel Elizabeth O'Connell, who is representing Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz, Young described the nature of the crime as being 'failure in attempt but not failure in the intent.' When the barrister put it to the Inspector that his client was offered a payment of €15,000 to work in the trafficking operation he said he agreed that the Spanish crew members were 'hired for a fee'. The State's evidence has ended and the defence barristers will continue their mitigation tomorrow before the court will adjourn to a sentencing date. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
