Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 1389Possession of cocaine for sale or supply, attempted possession of cocaine for sale or supply · Co. Dublin · 26 Sep 2023

Eight men jailed for combined 129 years over €157m MV Matthew cocaine seizure

Eight men were sentenced on 4 July 2025 at the Special Criminal Court to a combined 129 years for their roles in the smuggling of cocaine worth over €157m on the MV Matthew, a Panamanian-registered bulk cargo vessel. The crew had been hired by an international organised crime group in Dubai, and the ship had sailed from Curacao off the Venezuelan coast across the Atlantic to Irish territorial waters. The Army Ranger Wing boarded the vessel on 26 September 2023 in a multi-agency operation, and the six men on board were charged with possessing cocaine for sale or supply while two men on a second boat were charged with attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply. All eight pleaded guilty and received sentences ranging from 13 and a half to 20 years.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced4 Jul
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Eight men were sentenced to a combined 129 years for their roles in the smuggling of cocaine worth over €157m on the MV Matthew.
  • The MV Matthew was a Panamanian-registered bulk cargo vessel whose crew had been hired by an international organised crime group in Dubai.
  • Two men were on a separate boat purchased in Castletownbere to collect drugs from the main vessel.
Where
The ship departed from Curacao off the Venezuelan coast and sailed across the Atlantic to Irish territorial waters.
When
The Army Ranger Wing boarded the ship on 26 September 2023 in an operation involving the LE William Butler Yeats, two AW139 helicopters, a CASA fixed-wing aircraft, a PC12 fixed-wing aircraft, and an Army Ranger Wing team deployed by helicopter.
Charges
  • The six men on board were charged with possessing cocaine for sale or supply between 24 and 26 September 2023 at locations outside the State.
  • The two men on the second vessel were charged with attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply between 21 and 25 September 2023.
In court
Sentencing took place at the Special Criminal Court, Criminal Courts of Justice, on 4 July 2025.
Sentence
Dutch national Cumali Ozgen, 49, received 20 years; Filipino Harold Estoesta, 31, received 18 years; Iranian captain Soheil Jelveh, 51, received 17 and a half years; Ukrainian Vitaliy Vlasoi, 32, received 16 and a half years; Iranian third officer Saeid Hassani, 40, received 15 years; Ukrainian Mykhailo Gavryk, 32, received 14 years; Ukrainian Vitaliy Lapa, 62, received 14 and a half years; and non-Irish Jamie Harbron, 31, of Billingham UK, received 13 and a half years.
18 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe combined sentence for all eight men was 129 years (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe MV Matthew was a Panamanian-registered bulk cargo vessel (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatCrew members had been hired by an international organised crime group in Dubai (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatTwo men were on a boat purchased in Castletownbere to collect drugs from the main vessel (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe operation involved the LE William Butler Yeats, two AW139 helicopters, one CASA fixed wing aircraft, one PC12 fixed-wing aircraft, and an Army Ranger Wing team deployed by helicopter (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe ship departed from Curacao off the Venezuelan coast and sailed across the Atlantic to Irish territorial waters (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe Army Ranger Wing boarded the ship on 26 September 2023 (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe six men on board were charged with possessing cocaine for sale or supply between 24 and 26 September 2023 at locations outside the State (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe two men on the second vessel were charged with attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply between 21 and 25 September 2023 (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtSentencing took place at the Special Criminal Court, Criminal Courts of Justice (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceDutch national Cumali Ozgen, 49, received 20 years (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceFilipino Harold Estoesta, 31, received 18 years (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceIranian captain Soheil Jelveh, 51, received 17 and a half years (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceUkrainian Vitaliy Vlasoi, 32, received 16 and a half years (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceUkrainian Mykhailo Gavryk, 32, received 14 years (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceIranian third officer Saeid Hassani, 40, received 15 years (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceUkrainian Vitaliy Lapa, 62, received 14 and a half years (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceJamie Harbron, 31, of Billingham UK, received 13 and a half years (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 4 Jul2025
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, first report
    MV Matthew €157m cocaine seizure sentencing LIVE as eight men learn their fate

    Full sentencing details for all eight defendants, statements from Detective Superintendent Joe O'Reilly and Tanaiste Simon Harris, confirmation of combined 129-year sentence, and details of the interception operation.

    convicted, Cumali Ozgen, 49, male, Dutch, named, non-irishCumali Ozgenconvicted, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoestaconvicted, Soheil Jelveh, 51, male, Iranian, named, non-irishSoheil Jelvehconvicted, Vitaliy Vlasoi, 32, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Vlasoiconvicted, Mykhailo Gavryk, 32, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishMykhailo Gavrykconvicted, Saeid Hassani, 40, male, Iranian, named, non-irishSaeid Hassaniconvicted, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapaconvicted, Jamie Harbron, 31, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Jamie Harbron