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. 4281Possession of proceeds of crime (money laundering), possession of controlled drugs · Co. Dublin · 26 Sep 2024

Mother and daughter sentenced for possession of proceeds of crime including 18kg gold bullion

On 26 September 2024 gardai searched properties in the Dublin region and seized 18kg of gold bullion worth €1,375,218, along with cash and drugs. Svethana Bahtajeva (38 or 39, of Earlsfort Court, Lucan) was arrested on 30 September 2024, and she and her mother Jelene Idele (58 or 59, of Glenbourne Walk, Leopardstown) were charged and appeared before Blanchardstown District Court on a Wednesday, reported on 2 October 2024, where they were remanded in custody. Both women later pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of crime, and Idele also pleaded guilty to knowingly permitting possession of cocaine and MDMA at a Dundrum property. The latest reported development is that Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Bahtijeva to five years' imprisonment and also sentenced Idele, as reported on 17 and 18 December 2025.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Charged2 Oct
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced18 Dec
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Two women were charged with possession of gold bullion worth almost €1.4 million seized in Dublin.
  • The women are Svethana Bahtajeva and her mother Jelene Idele, though the spellings Bahtijeva and Jelana are also used in the reports.
Where
Bahtajeva lives at Earlsfort Court in Lucan, and Idele has an address at Glenbourne Walk in Leopardstown, Dublin 18.
When
Bahtijeva's home was searched on 26 September 2024 and she was arrested on 30 September 2024.
Investigation
  • Searches in the Dublin region on 27 and 28 September seized about €460,000 in cash and €210,000 worth of drugs in total.
  • 2.6kg of cocaine valued at €187,000 and €26,000 of MDMA were found in safes at Idele's home.
Weapon
Over €58,000 in cash was found in a lunch box hidden behind the stairs at Bahtijeva's home.
Charges
  • Idele was charged with seven offences, three of money laundering and four under the Misuse of Drugs Act, including possessing the gold and possessing cocaine and ecstasy with intent to sell or supply at a Dundrum property on 28 September.
  • Bahtajeva was charged with four counts under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, including possession of the gold bullion and possession of €460,000 believed to be proceeds of crime on 27 and 28 September.
  • Bahtijeva pleaded guilty to four counts of possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct, and Idele pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of the proceeds of crime and to one count of being the occupier of the Hillview Grove, Dundrum property and knowingly permitting possession of cocaine and MDMA on 28 September.
In court
  • Both women appeared before Blanchardstown District Court on a Wednesday, reported on 2 October 2024, and Judge David McHugh remanded them in custody to the Dóchas Centre.
  • Idele said she was not the owner of the drugs when the charges were put to her, while Bahtajeva made no reply.
Sentence
Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Bahtijeva to five years' imprisonment, and Idele was also sentenced in reports dated 17 and 18 December 2025, though the length of her term is cut off in the available text.
Cause
Bahtijeva's husband, who is believed to have returned to Kazakhstan, is the subject of a bench warrant, and he told gardai the gold came from Kazakhstan while a garda said it appears to have come from Germany or Switzerland.
Other details
Both women have no previous convictions, Russian is the first language of both, and an interpreter was requested for their next court appearance.
29 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatTwo women were charged with possession of gold bullion worth almost €1.4 million seized in Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatOver €58,000 in cash was found in a lunch box concealed behind the stairs at Bahtijeva's home (irishmirror.ie)
  • what2.6kg of cocaine valued at €187,000 and €26,000 of MDMA were found in safes at Idele's home (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereOne accused lives at Glenbourne Walk in Leopardstown. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe other accused lives at Earlsfort Court in Lucan. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe women appeared before Blanchardstown District Court on a Wednesday. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenBahtijeva's home was searched on 26 September 2024 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenBahtijeva was arrested on 30 September 2024 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationAbout €460,000 in cash and €210,000 worth of drugs were also seized in searches in the Dublin region. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeIdele is charged with seven offences, three of money laundering and four under the Misuse of Drugs Act. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeIdele is accused of possessing 18kg of gold bullion valued at €1,375,218 and of possessing cocaine and ecstasy with intent to sell and supply at a Dundrum property on 28 September. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBahtajeva is charged with four counts under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, including possession of the gold bullion. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBahtajeva is accused of possessing €460,000 believed to be the proceeds of crime on 27 and 28 September. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBahtijeva pleaded guilty to four counts of possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeIdele pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of the proceeds of crime (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeIdele pleaded guilty to one count of being the occupier of a property in Hillview Grove, Dundrum and knowingly permitting possession of cocaine and MDMA on 28 September (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtIdele said she was not the owner of the drugs when the charges were put to her. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtBahtajeva made no reply when the charges were put to her. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge David McHugh remanded both women in custody to the Dóchas Centre. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherRussian was the first language of both women and an interpreter was requested for their next court appearance. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA bench warrant has been issued for Bahtijeva's husband, who is believed to have returned to Kazakhstan (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBahtijeva's husband is 17 years older than her and from Kazakhstan (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBahtijeva moved to Ireland from Latvia when she was 19 (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBahtijeva and her husband married in 2007 (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe two women have no previous convictions (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBahtijeva has been in custody since her arrest in September 2024 (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe garda agreed the gold appears to have come from Germany or Switzerland (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBahtijeva's husband told gardai the gold came from Kazakhstan (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherVarious false identification documents belonging to the male co-accused were found in the safety deposit boxes (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 18 Dec2025
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Mum and daughter sentenced over proceeds of crime including 18kg of gold bullion

    Sentencing report detailing the full evidence, including the contents of safety deposit boxes and safes, the statements of both women, and the judge's reasoning. The main suspect (Bahtijeva's husband) is in absentia.

    convicted, Svethana Bahtijeva, 39, female, named, non-irish (judged from name)Svethana Bahtijevaconvicted, Jelene Idele, 59, female, named, non-irish (judged from name)Jelene Ideleaccused, 56, male, non-irish (judged from name)
  2. 2 Oct2024
    Chargedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Two women remanded in custody over €1.4m gold bullion seizure in Dublin

    Adds the charges against both women, the seized cash and drugs, the court appearance before Blanchardstown District Court, remand in custody to the Dóchas Centre, and the next court date of 4 October.

    accused, Jelana Idele, 58, female, namedJelana Ideleaccused, Svethana Bahtajeva, 38, female, namedSvethana Bahtajeva