Three citizens of Ukraine have been sentenced in Ireland to long terms of imprisonment in the case of the record seizure of drugs on board the cargo vessel MV Matthew. In total, eight men were sentenced, including citizens of the Netherlands and Great Britain. They were found guilty of transporting more than two tons of cocaine worth 157 million euros. According to Irish law enforcement officers, this is the largest drug seizure in the country’s history. This was reported by the publication The Irish Times.
The case was considered by the Special Criminal Court of Ireland. Judge Melanie Grilli described the defendants as an important link in an international smuggling scheme. According to her, although most of the convicts were not the direct organizers, they possessed key maritime skills without which the operation could not have taken place.
Ukrainians Mykhailo Havryk, Vitaly Vlasoi and Vitaliy Lapa are among the convicts. They received 14, 14.5 and 16.5 years of imprisonment, respectively. The harshest sentence — 20 years in prison — was given to 50-year-old citizen of the Netherlands Kumal Ozgen, whom the court recognized as an intermediary between the crew and a criminal group operating from Dubai.
The court found that the Panamanian-flagged MV Matthew belonged to a Dubai company and had sailed from Curacao, near Venezuela. The ship was due to transfer the cargo to another vessel in the Irish Sea, but was unable to do so due to the storm. In the course of the operation, Irish rangers landed from a helicopter on board the “Matthew”, despite the crew’s attempt to set fire to the drugs, detained the participants and escorted the vessel to the port of Cork.
During the trial, some of the defendants tried to prove that they learned about the cargo already at sea, but the court qualified it as deliberate disregard of the circumstances, which, according to the judge, is equal to conscious participation. Although none of the sailors had direct control over the shipment or finances, their actions were key to the success of the shipment, the judge noted.
The case was recognized as a precedent in the history of the Irish fight against drugs. It contains the largest amount of cocaine ever seized on the territory of the country. Ukrainian sailors became participants in the case, which revealed the extent of the cooperation of maritime specialists with the international drug network.
As you know, the operation with the detention was accompanied by the forces of the Irish Navy, which even resorted to warning shots to prevent the escape of the ship. The court also noted the high professional level of the special forces, who managed to preserve the physical evidence, despite the crew’s attempt to destroy it.
