Ireland Named in reporting
Vitaliy Lapa
Born 1963, from the ages reported. 27 reports across 3 cases, 29 Sep 2023 to 4 Jul 2025
Key facts
from every report naming them- Named as
- Convicted, accused, suspect
- Born
- 1963, from the ages reported
- Nationality
- Ukrainian, as stated in a report
- Offences
- Possession of cocaine for sale or supply, Attempted possession of cocaine for sale or supply
- Where
- Co. Dublin, Co. Cork, Co. Wexford
- Reporting
- 27 reports, 29 Sep 2023 to 4 Jul 2025
- Outlets
- irishmirror.ie, rte.ie, irishtimes.com, corkbeo.ie, thejournal.ie, donegallive.ie
Photographs
as published, with the outlet's credit
Images are shown from the outlet that published them and link back to the article. Copyright stays with the credited photographer or agency.
Cases
latest first- Eight jailed for cocaine possession on MV Matthew in Dublin Possession of cocaine for sale or supply · Co. Dublin
Eight men were sentenced on 4 July 2025 at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin for their roles in smuggling 2.25 tonnes of cocaine worth over €157 million on the Panamanian-registered bulk carrier MV Matthew. The ship, crewed by men hired by a transnational organised crime group in Dubai, was intercepted in Irish waters on 26 September 2023 after departing from Curacao off the Venezuelan coast. Six crew members on board and two men on a second vessel were arrested after the Army Ranger Wing boarded the ship in severe weather. All eight pleaded guilty to possession or attempted possession of cocaine for sale or supply. They received sentences ranging from 13 and a half to 20 years, totalling 129 years.
Sentenced, 4 Jul 2025Convicted, accused · 4 reports - Eight men convicted of cocaine possession for supply off Cork Possession of cocaine for sale or supply · Co. Cork
In September 2023, Army Rangers boarded the Panamanian-registered bulk carrier MV Matthew off the Cork coast and seized 2,253kg of cocaine valued at €157 million, described as the largest drugs seizure in Irish history. Eight men, including British, Ukrainian, Iranian, Dutch and Filipino nationals, were arrested and charged in connection with the seizure. All eight pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply before the Special Criminal Court. The sentencing hearing, which heard evidence of the Dubai-based criminal organisation that directed the operation, is ongoing with sentences to be delivered on 4 July 2025.
Convicted, 19 Dec 2024Convicted, accused, suspect · 16 reports - Eight men await sentencing over €157m cocaine seizure off Wexford Possession of cocaine for sale or supply · Co. Wexford
Approximately 2.25 tonnes of cocaine, valued at more than €157 million, was seized from the Panamanian-registered bulk carrier MV Matthew off the Wexford coast in September 2023, the largest cocaine seizure in Irish history. The ship, owned by Dubai-based Symphony Marine, had departed Curaçao and was pursued by the Naval Service before Army Rangers boarded it on 26 September 2023. Eight men, including ship's officers of Ukrainian, Iranian, Dutch, Filipino, and non-Irish nationality, were charged with possession of cocaine for sale or supply and participation in a criminal organisation. All eight defendants pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court, with the last two, Iranian Saeid Hassani (39) and Filipino Harold Estoesta (31), entering their pleas on 18 February 2025. They are remanded in custody until 24 February 2025 for a mention hearing to fix a sentencing date.
Convicted, 6 Feb 2025Convicted, accused, suspect · 7 reports
Timeline
every report naming Vitaliy Lapa, newest firstEach entry shows how that report described them.
- 4 Jul2025MV Matthew €157m cocaine seizure sentencing LIVE as eight men learn their fateconvicted, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 4 Jul2025Eight jailed over largest cocaine seizure in Irelandconvicted, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 5 Jun2025‘Go like f**k mate’: How the MV Matthew ship and a €157 million drugs haul was seizedaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 5 Jun2025Crew hired for 'Cork cocaine ship' MV Matthew were under ‘financial pressure’accused, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 4 Jun2025Two MV Matthew crew were 'expendable', court toldconvicted, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 4 Jun2025Captain of Cork cocaine ship MV Matthew ‘feared for his life’accused, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 3 Jun2025Iranian smugglers, Dubai gangsters and the frantic crew texts as Irish Special Forces boardedconvicted, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 3 Jun2025Irish Army rangers risked their lives in boarding cargo ship carrying cocaine, court hearssuspect, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 19 Feb2025MV Matthew: How Elite Ranger wing took down Ireland's biggest ever coke shipmentconvicted, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 18 Feb2025Two plead guilty over roles in largest cocaine seizure in Irish historysuspect, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 18 Feb2025Pair plead guilty to part in largest ever cocaine seizure in Irelandsuspect, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 18 Feb2025Two plead guilty over €157m cocaine seizure on cargo shipconvicted, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 6 Feb2025Four men plead guilty over record breaking €157m cocaine seizureaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 6 Feb2025Four men plead guilty in relation to largest cocaine seizure in Irish historyaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 4 Feb2025Six men facing trial in relation to raid on Panamanian cargo ship fail to have charges dismissedaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 27 Jan2025Man due to go on trial after cocaine seizure on Panamanian cargo ship pleads guilty to drugs offenceconvicted, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 13 Jan2025Six men accused in relation to €157m cocaine haul on MV Matthew seeking to have charges dismissedaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 61, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 24 Jun2024Eight men charged in relation to State’s largest ever drug seizure given January trial dateaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 61, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Vitaliy Lapa
- 3 Oct2023Men involved in €157m cocaine haul tried to buy trawler in Killybegs - Gardaiaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 60, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 2 Oct2023Cork cocaine seizure: Captain of ship remanded in custodyaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 60, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 2 Oct2023Third man charged in relation to €157m drug seizure off Irish coastaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 60, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 2 Oct2023Man charged in connection with Cork drugs seizureaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 60, namedVitaliy Lapa
- 30 Sep2023Man released without charge in Cork cocaine ship investigationaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 60, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 29 Sep2023Two men appear in court charged in connection with cargo ship drug seizureaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 60s, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 29 Sep2023Two men appear in court charged over €157m cocaine haul off Irish coastaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 60, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 29 Sep2023Two men appear in Wexford court in connection with €500 million cocaine haulaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 60, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapa
- 29 Sep2023Two men charged in connection with Cork cocaine seizureaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 60, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Vitaliy Lapa
Matched on the name as printed, ignoring quoted nicknames, and split by the ages reported. Two people who share a name and age would appear together here.