An Iranian national and captain of the MV Matthew, Soheil Jelveh, has been charged on drugs offences in connection with the record-breaking 2.2 tonnes of cocaine found on board the cargo ship last week. Jelveh, who was airlifted from the bulk carrier when a request for urgent medical assistance was issued, appeared at Wexford District Court on Monday. Bail was refused, and the 50-year-old is the third person to be charged in relation to the drug seizure, with an estimated value of €157m (£136m).
Detective Garda Mangan told the court that Mr Jelveh had been brought to University Hospital Waterford and was later arrested by gardaí. He added that Mr Jelveh’s family were based in Dubai. Defence solicitor Lana Doherty, representing Jelveh, said he had been a ship’s captain for more than 20 years and had a clean record. Ms Doherty asked for him to be granted protection in prison, but bail was refused and Jelveh was remanded in custody for one week.
At the same court, Jamie Harbron from Stockton-on-Tees, England, and Vitaliy Lapa, who is from Ukraine, were also remanded in custody for a fortnight. The total number of arrests made in relation to the drugs find is now five, with the two others having been released without charge. The drugs seizure was the biggest in Irish state history and the Irish police said it was a significant blow to the activities of organised crime.
While the ultimate destination of the consignment has not yet been confirmed, it is believed it was headed for the UK. Authorities in the UK and Ireland had cooperated in the joint operation to prevent it reaching its final destination. The MV Matthew had initially set sail from Colombia
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