Ireland Crime

Reports the latest guilty pleas by Saeid Hassani and Harold Estoesta at the Special Criminal Court, and provides detailed background on the ARW boarding, the Kinahan cartel's financing role, the ship's journey from Curacao, and the failed Castlemore trawler rendezvous.

Provides full details of the guilty pleas, the prosecution case describing the men's roles as ship's officers, the pursuit and boarding of the MV Matthew by the Army Rangers, and the court's remand order for sentencing.

Provides details of the guilty pleas, the specific charge period (24–26 September 2023, outside the State), remand to 24 February 2025, and prosecution evidence about the men's roles as ship's officers, the Deck Officers WhatsApp group, the pursuit by LE William Butler Yeats, the ship's ownership by Dubai-based Symphony Marine, and the planned transfer of drugs to fishing boat The Castlemore.

Adds that Saeid Hassani and Harold Estoesta pleaded guilty on 18 February 2025, were the last of the eight defendants to plead, and were remanded in custody to 24 February for sentencing. Lists the earlier guilty pleas by the other co-accused.

Reports on the third day of evidence in the trial of Harold Estoesta and Saeid Hassani at the Special Criminal Court. The witness Gary Delaney testified about the AIS and ECDIS navigation systems and messages from a deck officers WhatsApp group. The article also notes that four co-accused pleaded guilty the previous week and gives the charges against the two men.

Trial details including WhatsApp messages instructing the crew to burn the cargo, an audio recording of Estoesta saying 'prepare gasoline' and 'make sure everything burns', evidence that the ship's AIS position was falsified from August 22 to September 7, 2023, and confirmation that four co-accused pleaded guilty the previous week.

Prosecution opening address details WhatsApp messages in 'The Deck Officers' group, Det Supt Halley's evidence on the joint task force and The Castlemore, and Gary Delaney's evidence showing the MV Matthew's AIS was falsified from August 22 to September 7, 2023. Four co-accused pleaded guilty the previous week.

Details of the prosecution's opening speech at the Special Criminal Court trial, including the ship's history, the roles of the accused as officers on board, WhatsApp communications, and the discovery of encrypted phones after the captain's medical evacuation.

Reports the opening of the trial, the prosecution's case including details of the ship, crew, communications evidence, and the specific charges against Hassani and Estoesta, who both pleaded not guilty.

Trial of Hassani and Estoesta begins after both pleaded not guilty the previous day; four other men are before the courts in relation to the seizure.

Reports the guilty pleas of four of the eight defendants (Gavryk, Vlasoi, Jelveh, Ozgen) on 6 February 2025; confirms Lapa and Harbron had previously pleaded guilty; notes Hassani and Estoesta will stand trial on Monday; the four are remanded until 24 February for a mention hearing to fix a sentencing date.

Reports the guilty pleas of four of the eight accused at the Special Criminal Court on 6 February 2025, confirms the 2.25-tonne seizure valued at over €157 million, and notes that Hassani and Estoesta will stand trial on Monday while Lapa and Harbron have previously pleaded guilty.

The Special Criminal Court refused the six defendants' application under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999 to have charges dismissed. The matter was adjourned to Wednesday. Vitaliy Lapa pleaded guilty to one of two charges, and Jamie Harbron previously pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.