A 30-year-old man has develop into the primary accused to be returned for trial by decide and jury in reference to the biggest drug seizure within the historical past of the state when greater than 2.2 tons of cocaine, value 157 million euros, have been seized on board. a freighter from Cork.
Harold Estoesta was a crew member aboard the MV Matthew when it was detained in a Joint Activity Pressure Operation involving customs, the garda and the navy when Military Rangers boarded the vessel at sea off the east coast of Cork within the early hours of September 26, 2023.
A Filipino nationwide, Mr. Estoesta was later arrested by gardaí and charged with conspiring with others to own cocaine value greater than €13,000 within the state to produce on September 24, 2023 towards to Part 15A of the Misuse of Medicine Act 1977.
When he was accused, Mr. Estoesta replied: “I imagine that I {followed} the orders of my elders. I used to be additionally deceived and knowledgeable that they have been spare components. I need to defend myself towards the accusations. I imagine that I used to be harmless and I need to be free”.
At the moment, Mr Estoesta appeared at Mallow District Courtroom the place the court docket presenter, Sgt Linda O'Leary, advised Decide John King that the gardaí had obtained instructions from the DPP on the matter and the DPP had ordered that Mr Estoesta be tried at circuit court docket stage earlier than a decide. and jury.
Sgt O'Leary requested for continued custody till March 26 and barrister David O'Meara, deputizing for Mr Estoesta's barrister Aidan Desmond, stated his consumer had agreed to 3 weeks' imprisonment.
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https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/courts/2024/03/05/i-just-followed-the-orders-man-returned-for-trial-in-relation-to-157m-cork- seizure of cocaine/
