Two men plead guilty to involvement in Ireland’s largest ever cocaine seizure, linked to an international drug operation.
Saeid Hassani, 39, and Harold Estoesta, 31, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale. This took place on the MV Matthew, a ship registered in Panama. The ship held 2.2 tonnes of cocaine, valued at €157 million, before Irish Army Rangers seized it.
Hassani and Estoesta were the last of eight people charged to plead guilty. Six others pleaded guilty earlier, before their joint trial. A three-judge court heard the case.
The charge involved cocaine possession for sale. This occurred between September 24-26, 2023, outside of Ireland on the MV Matthew. The drugs’ value exceeded €13,000, violating the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Sean Guerin SC, representing the prosecution, said the pleas were fully acceptable. Justice Melanie Greally detained both men. Their sentencing date will be fixed for February 24.
Earlier, four men pleaded guilty to a similar charge. These men were Mykhailo Gavryk, Vitaliy Vlasoi, Soheil Jelveh, and Cumali Ozgen. Vitaliy Lapa and Jamie Harbron also pleaded guilty to trying to possess cocaine for sale between September 21-25, 2023, involving the same shipment.
The state said the two men were essential, aiding a sophisticated drug operation. This was stated at the trial’s opening last week.
The MV Matthew flew under the flag of Panama and was owned by Symphony Marine, a Dubai company.
It left Curacao, sailed across the Atlantic, and entered Irish waters, trying to outrun capture. The LE William Butler Yeats chased it before Army Rangers boarded and took control.
Prosecutors stated the men handled the drugs and directed others to transfer them. The drugs moved from the MV Matthew to a fishing boat named The Castlemore. The state said both men used a messaging group to discuss drug transport, hiding these activities.
Evidence showed Estoesta hid the vessel’s location in conjunction with others on the seas last week.