Spanish man pleads guilty to conspiring to smuggle large quantity of drugs into Ireland
At the non-jury, three-judge Special Criminal Court on Wednesday, Juan Antonio Gallardo Barroso, aged 56, of no fixed address in Spain, was arraigned on one count, that he did conspire with his co-accused to do an act in the State that constitutes a serious offence, namely the importation of controlled drugs in excess of €13,000 on dates between February 27 and March 14 2024, both dates inclusive, within the State.
The offence is contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.
He pleaded guilty to the charge, with the matter put back by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, presiding, to July 21 next for sentencing.
On that date, co-accused Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz, aged 45, of no fixed abode but from Spain; Anuar Rahui Chairi, aged 42, of Malaga in Spain; and Aleksandar Milic, aged 27, with an address in Belgrade in Serbia, are also listed for sentencing, having pleaded guilty to a similar charge of conspiring with others to import drugs.
A further six men are charged in connection with the case.
They are Kiumaars Ghabiri, 52, with an address in Rotterdam in the Netherlands; Ali Ghasemi Mazidi, 50, with an address in the Netherlands; Sean Curran, 37, with an address at Carrickyheenan, Aughnacloy, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh; Raul Tabares Garcia, 48, of Cadiz in Spain; Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega, 36 of Cadiz; and Angel Serran Padilla, 40, of Malaga.
The men were arrested by gardaí in March last year during operations in the villages of Tragumna and Leap near Skibbereen in West Cork, where a jeep, camper van, articulated truck, and rigid inflatable boat were seized as part of the suspected drug smuggling operation.
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Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
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Sunday World
2 days ago
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Czech national Michael Maly was later arrested and appeared in court as a murder suspect but was released on bail and has yet to be charged with any offence. Jonny Smyth and Madison Allen Meanwhile 27-year-old Newtownabbey man Jonny Smyth was eventually arrested in Portugal having gone on the run before being extradited back to Spain where he has also been named as a suspect and held on remand in prison – but like Maly has not yet been charged with any offence. Sources say Jonny Smyth had helped Dan McMeekin after finding him in Spain in a bad way on drugs. But Smyth turned on Dan and gave him a beating after it's claimed he found Dan doing cocaine in the apartment Smyth shared with his partner – now wife – Madison. McMeekin has been in jail back home in Northern Ireland several times and was convicted of a number of nasty domestic abuse offences.
Sunday World
2 days ago
- Sunday World
Spanish national pleads guilty to conspiring to smuggle large quantity of drugs into Ireland
He pleaded guilty to the charge, with the matter put back by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, presiding, to July 21 next for sentencing At the non-jury, three-judge Special Criminal Court today, Juan Antonio Gallardo Barroso (56), of no fixed address in Spain, was arraigned on one count, that he did conspire with his co-accused to do an act in the State that constitutes a serious offence, namely the importation of controlled drugs in excess of €13,000 on dates between February 27 and March 14 2024, both dates inclusive, within the State. The offence is contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. He pleaded guilty to the charge, with the matter put back by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, presiding, to July 21 next for sentencing. On that date, co-accused Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz (45) of no fixed abode but from Spain; Anuar Rahui Chairi (42) of Malaga in Spain; and Aleksandar Milic (27) with an address in Belgrade in Serbia, are also listed for sentencing, having pleaded guilty to a similar charge of conspiring with others to import drugs. A further six men are charged in connection with the case. They are Kiumaars Ghabiri (52) with an address in Rotterdam in the Netherlands; Ali Ghasemi Mazidi (50), with an address in the Netherlands; Sean Curran (37), with an address at Carrickyheenan, Aughnacloy, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh; Raul Tabares Garcia (48), of Cadiz in Spain; Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega (36) of Cadiz; and Angel Serran Padilla (40) of Malaga. The men were arrested by gardai in March last year during operations in the villages of Tragumna and Leap near Skibbereen in west Cork, where a jeep, camper van, articulated truck, and rigid inflatable boat were seized as part of the suspected drug smuggling operation. Juan Antonio Gallardo Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 9th
