Ten men sent for trial over illegal cigarette factory in Louth
Ten men charged following the discovery of a multi-million euro illegal cigarette factory in Co. Louth have been sent forward for trial to Dundalk Circuit Court.
The group of Bulgarian and Lithuanian nationals had been charged earlier contrary to the Finance Act 2005 and appeared again at Cloverhill District Court today.
They face the same two charges for processing an illicit tobacco product on the March 15, 2018, at Killen, Jenkinstown, Dundalk.
The court has heard gardai obtained a warrant and on March 15 an illegal cigarette factory was allegedly found in “a clandestine location in a shed rural behind a number hay bales.”
Some 24m cigarettes were found as well as enough loose tobacco to produce 66m cigarettes. The seizure was valued at €57m with an estimated €45m loss to the exchequer.
The offence can result in a maximum fine of just under €127,000 as well as a possible sentence of up to five years.
Books of evidence were served on the ten men by Garda Noel Monaghan at Cloverhill District Court on Thursday. State solicitor Maura Kiely told Judge Victor Blake the Director of Public Prosecutions consented to them being returned for trial on indictment to Dundalk Circuit Court on June 12, 2018.
They had been initially remanded in custody following a hearing in March but subsequently bail was granted subject to conditions.
Bulgarian nationals Yordan Shopski (51), Petar Petrov (46) and Boti Panicharsti (63) who now have addresses at Culhane Street, Dundalk, were remanded on €5,000 bail pending their trial.
Also returned for on the same charges were Lithuanian men: Vytautas Pelenis (33), Mindaugas Pelenis (35), Evaldas Simonelis (48), Giederius Palciauskas (28), Rumuras Butkevicius (41), Tomas Jarutis (27) and Vytautas Sakinis (27).
Legal aid was granted for their trials as well as an order for disclosure of video evidence.
Judge Blake told them that if they intended to use alibis in their defence they must notify the State solicitor of Co. Louth, Fergus Mullen, within 14 days.
The defendants, who listened to the proceedings with the assistance of interpreters, have not yet indicated how they will plea.
Bail terms state they must sign on regularly at Garda stations, be contactable by mobile phone, surrender passports and ID cards and not apply for duplicate travel documents.
A co-defendant Javaras Kairys (34), another Lithuanian national, will appear again tomorrow/today (fri) to be served with a book of evidence.
