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. 5056Money laundering · Co. Dublin

Man charged over €1.4m gold bullion seizure in Dublin

Gardaí seized about €1.4 million in gold bullion, €460,000 in cash and €210,000 in suspected cocaine and ecstasy during searches in the Dublin region on 27 and 28 September 2024. Farhats Bathijevs, a 55-year-old man with an address in Lucan, was arrested on Friday 27 September 2024 and is charged with money laundering, theft and fraud relating to false documents, and drug possession and supply offences. Two women in their 30s and 50s were arrested on Monday 30 September 2024 in connection with the seizure. Bathijevs appeared before Blanchardstown District Court that day, where he was remanded into custody, and the latest development is that he is due to appear by video link from Cloverhill prison on Friday.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested28 Sep
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court30 Sep
    2 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Gardaí seized about €1.4 million in gold bullion, described as about 18kg of gold bars and coins valued at about €1,375,218.
  • About €460,000 in cash was seized during the operation.
  • About €210,000 in suspected cocaine and ecstasy was seized and will be sent for further analysis.
Where
  • The gold was found in a vault south of the city, though one report describes it as found at a business premises.
  • The drugs were found during searches of a residential property, and the Dublin Crime Response Team searched residential and business premises in the Dublin region.
When
  • The searches took place on 27 and 28 September 2024.
  • Bathijevs was arrested on Friday 27 September 2024, shortly after 7pm, at Ronanstown Garda Station.
Investigation
  • The man arrested on Friday was held at a Dublin Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
  • Two women, in their 30s and 50s, were arrested on Monday 30 September 2024 in the Dublin area in connection with the seizure and are detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 for up to seven days.
Charges
  • Bathijevs is charged with three counts of money laundering and two counts of theft and fraud relating to false documents.
  • Bathijevs is also charged with two counts of possession of drugs and two counts of supply of cocaine and ecstasy.
In court
  • Bathijevs appeared before Blanchardstown District Court on Monday 30 September 2024.
  • District Judge David McHugh remanded Bathijevs into custody to appear by video link from Cloverhill prison on Friday, and no bail application was made.
Other details
An application for legal aid was made with a request for a statement of means, and Other DMR Regional Units and the Criminal Assets Bureau supported the operation.
37 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatGardaí seized €1.4 million in gold bullion. (garda.ie)
  • whatGardaí seized €460,000 in cash. (garda.ie)
  • whatGardaí seized €210,000 in suspected cocaine. (garda.ie)
  • what18kg of gold bars and coins valued at about €1,375,218 were discovered in a vault south of the city (irishmirror.ie)
  • what€460,000 in cash was seized during the operation (irishmirror.ie)
  • what€210,000 worth of suspected cocaine and ecstasy were found during searches of a residential property (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatAbout 18kg of gold bars and coins, valued at about €1,375,218, were discovered in a vault south of the city. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatAbout €460,000 in cash and €210,000 of suspected cocaine and ecstasy were seized during the operation. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whereThe operation was in the Dublin region. (garda.ie)
  • whereBathijevs has an address in Earlsfort Court, Lucan (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe searches took place on 27 and 28 September 2024. (garda.ie)
  • whenBathijevs was arrested at Ronanstown Garda Station on Friday shortly after 7pm (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenFarhats Bathijevs was arrested on Friday by the Dublin crime response team. (dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationThe drugs will be sent for further analysis. (garda.ie)
  • investigationGardaí arrested a male in his 50s. (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe man is being held at a Dublin Garda Station under Section 4 Criminal Justice Act, 1984. (garda.ie)
  • investigationTwo women in their 30s and 50s were arrested on Monday in the Dublin area in connection with the seizure (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationBoth women are detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 and can be held for up to seven days (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationTwo women were arrested in connection with the seizure. (dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationThe two women, in their 30s and 50s, were arrested on Monday in the Dublin area. (dublinlive.ie)
  • chargeBathijevs faces three charges of money laundering (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeBathijevs faces two charges of theft and fraud relating to false documents (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeBathijevs is charged with two counts of possession of drugs (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeBathijevs is charged with two counts of supply of cocaine and ecstasy (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThree charges relate to money laundering. (dublinlive.ie)
  • chargeTwo charges relate to theft and fraud involving false documents. (dublinlive.ie)
  • chargeHe is also charged with two counts of possession of drugs and two counts of supply of cocaine and ecstasy. (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtBathijevs appeared before Blanchardstown District Court on Monday 30 September 2024 (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtDistrict Judge David McHugh remanded Bathijevs into custody to appear via video link from Cloverhill prison on Friday (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • courtFarhats Bathijevs appeared before Blanchardstown District Court on Monday. (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtNo bail application was made. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherGardaí from the Dublin Crime Response Team conducted searches of residential and business premises. (garda.ie)
  • otherOther DMR Regional Units and the Criminal Assets Bureau provided support. (garda.ie)
  • otherFurther updates will follow. (garda.ie)
  • otherNo application for bail was made (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherAn application for legal aid was made with a request for statement of means (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBoth women are being detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 and can be held for up to seven days. (dublinlive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 30 Sep2024
    In courtdublinlive.ie, first report
    Man appears in court charged in connection with seizure of gold bars worth €1.4m

    Adds the charges against Farhats Bathijevs, his court appearance and remand into custody, and the arrest of two women in connection with the seizure.

    accused, Farhats Bathijevs, 55, male, namedFarhats Bathijevssuspect, 30s, femalesuspect, 50s, female
  2. 30 Sep2024
    In courtirishmirror.ie, first report
    Man in court in connection with seizure of 18kg of gold bars worth €1.4 million

    First report of the court appearance and charges; details the seizure of gold bullion, cash and drugs, the specific charges, and the arrest of two additional women.

    accused, Farhats Bathijevs, 55, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Farhats Bathijevssuspect, 30s, femalesuspect, 50s, female
  3. 28 Sep2024
    Arrestedgarda.ie, follow-up
    €1.4m Gold Bullion, €460,000 in cash and €210,000 seized and Man Arrested, Dublin, 27th-28th September 2024

    Official Garda press release on the arrest and seizure. It adds that the man is held under Section 4 Criminal Justice Act, 1984, that the Dublin Crime Response Team carried out the searches, and that other DMR units and the Criminal Assets Bureau supported the operation. It does not name the man.

    suspect, 50s, male