Ukrainian couple refused bail over €340,000 cash linked to transnational crime group at Dublin Airport
A couple, Iryna Bandarieva, 69, and Ihor Shandar, 60, were arrested at Terminal 1, Dublin Airport on 9 April 2025 after €342,000 in cash was seized from them during an intelligence-led joint operation by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and Revenue Customs Service. They were charged with money-laundering offences under section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, accused of possessing €340,000 in crime proceeds linked to a transnational crime group. They were refused bail by Judge Anthony Halpin at Dublin District Court on 12 April 2025 and remanded in custody to appear again on Wednesday. The investigation is ongoing and the GNDOCB must obtain directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested9 Apr
2 reports - Charged9 Apr
2 reports - In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- €342,000 in cash was seized from two passengers at Dublin Airport, described in court as €340,000 in crime proceeds.
- Iryna Bandarieva, 69, and Ihor Shandar, 60, both from Ukraine, were arrested and charged with money-laundering offences under section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.
- €7,000 was found in their hand luggage and four mobile phones were seized, one containing a photo of 34 bundles of cash on a bed.
- Where
- The seizure and arrests took place at Terminal 1, Dublin Airport.
- The couple arrived in Ireland from Nice, France, and were set to fly to Cyprus and then take an onward flight to Milan, Italy.
- When
- The seizure occurred on Wednesday 9 April 2025.
- Investigation
- The arrest was part of an intelligence-led joint operation by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and Revenue Customs Service, based on confidential information about a transnational crime group involved in money-laundering and drug trafficking.
- The investigation is ongoing and the GNDOCB must obtain directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
- Other details
- The couple claimed the money was to buy a property in Cyprus and deny the allegations.
- In court
- They were refused bail by Judge Anthony Halpin at Dublin District Court on Saturday 12 April 2025 and remanded in custody to appear again on Wednesday.
40 statements extracted from the articles
- what€342,000 in cash was seized at Dublin Airport (garda.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- whatA man and a woman, both in their 60s, were arrested at Dublin Airport (garda.ie)
- what€342,000 in cash was seized from two passengers (garda.ie)
- whatA man and a woman were arrested (dublinlive.ie)
- whatBoth suspects are in their 60s (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe couple were arrested at Terminal 1, Dublin Airport (irishtimes.com)
- whatThey were charged with money-laundering offences under section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 (irishtimes.com)
- whatThey were accused of possessing €340,000 in crime proceeds at Dublin Airport on 9 April (irishtimes.com)
- what€7,000 was found in their hand luggage (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe investigation was a joint operation by the GNDOCB and Revenue (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe GNDOCB received confidential information about a transnational crime group involved in money-laundering and drug trafficking (irishtimes.com)
- whatFour mobile phones were seized with a photo of 34 bundles of cash on a bed (irishtimes.com)
- whatThey claimed the money was to buy a property in Cyprus (irishtimes.com)
- whatThey were set to fly to Cyprus and then take an onward flight to Milan, Italy (irishtimes.com)
- whatMr Shandar had two passports, one for internal travel within Ukraine (irishtimes.com)
- whatMs Bandarieva had family in the UK (irishtimes.com)
- whatMr Shandar was allowed to leave Ukraine after turning 60 as he was no longer available for conscription (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe couple deny the allegations (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe seizure took place at Dublin Airport (garda.ie)
- whereThe couple have an address in Betova, Kyiv, Ukraine (irishtimes.com)
- whereThey arrived in Ireland from Nice, France (irishtimes.com)
- whereThey had recently moved to Italy (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe seizure occurred on Wednesday 9 April 2025 (garda.ie)
- whenThe seizure took place on Wednesday, 9 April 2025 (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe arrest was made by Gardaí attached to the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (garda.ie)
- investigationThe operation was conducted jointly with Revenue Customs Service (garda.ie)
- investigationThe operation was intelligence-led and carried out by GNDOCB and Revenue Customs Service (garda.ie)
- investigationThe suspects are detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 (garda.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is ongoing (garda.ie)
- investigationThe seizure was part of an intelligence-led operation (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe operation was conducted by the GNDOCB (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationRevenue's Customs Service supported the operation (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationBoth suspects were detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe seizure is part of Revenue's ongoing work targeting smuggling and shadow economy activity (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeThe man and woman have been charged in connection with the investigation (garda.ie)
- courtThey were due to appear before Dublin District Court at the Criminal Courts of Justice, Court No. 2, at 10:30am on Saturday 12 April 2025 (garda.ie)
- courtThey were refused bail by Judge Anthony Halpin at Dublin District Court (irishtimes.com)
- courtThey were remanded in custody to appear again on Wednesday (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe GNDOCB must obtain directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (irishtimes.com)
- otherMs Bandarieva said she had trust issues with banks (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 12 Apr2025Couple caught leaving Dublin Airport with €340,000 in cash linked to crime group, court told
Bail hearing details: how the cash was distributed across luggage, the couple's defence that it was life savings, the prosecution's case linking them to a transnational crime group, and the court's refusal of bail due to flight risk.
accused, Iryna Bandarieva, 69, female, named, non-irish (judged from name)Iryna Bandarievaaccused, Ihor Shandar, 60, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Ihor Shandar - 10 Apr2025Two arrested after €342,000 cash seized at Dublin Airport
Confirms the arrest and specifies the operation was intelligence-led by the GNDOCB with Revenue's Customs Service support; both suspects detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. Revenue describes the seizure as part of ongoing work targeting smuggling and shadow economy activity.
suspect, 60s, malesuspect, 60s, female - 9 Apr2025Seizure of €342,000 in Cash and Arrests at Dublin Airport - Wednesday, 9th April 2025
Initial Garda press release confirming the seizure amount as €342,000, the involvement of Revenue Customs Service, and that both suspects are in their 60s and detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007.
suspect, 60s, malesuspect, 60s, female - 9 Apr2025Court Appearance - Seizure of €342,000 in Cash and Arrests at Dublin Airport - Wednesday, 9th April 2025
Confirms the couple have been formally charged and provides the specific court date, time and courtroom for their appearance.
suspect, 60s, malesuspect, 60s, female