Wife of one of 10 men charged in Cork drugs case died of cancer while he was in custody, court told
A psychological report for Juan Antonio Gallardo Barroso, aged 56, of no fixed address in Spain, was requested at the Special Criminal Court by defence barrister Cathal McGrealy, BL.
Mr Barosso's wife died of cancer during his time in detention in Ireland and he has been suffering ongoing psychological issues, Mr McGrealy said.
Justice Karen O'Connor extended her sympathies to Mr Barroso and acknowledged that this must have been extremely difficult for him. She extended legal aid for the psychological report to be commissioned.
Mr Barroso is next due in the Special Criminal Court on Wednesday at 11am with a Spanish interpreter. "Progress" on the case is expected soon, Mr McGrealy said.
Four men charged in connection with the same suspected multi-million euro drug smuggling operation are now set to have their sentence hearings on July 21.
Gardaí arrested the 10 men 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. File picture
Dutch national Kiumaars Ghabiri, aged 52; Spanish nationals Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz, aged 45 of no fixed address, Spain; and Anuar Rahui Chairi, aged 42, from Marbella; and Serbian national Aleksander Milic, aged 46, also appeared in the Special Criminal Court on Monday.
The men were flanked by Dutch, Serbian and Spanish interpreters. Their sentence hearings had been scheduled for Modnay in the Special Criminal Court but they were adjourned.
They are four of 10 men charged with conspiring with one another to import controlled drugs in excess of €13,000 on dates between February 27 and March 14, 2024, both dates inclusive. The alleged offence is contrary to Section 15 B(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.
Gardaí arrested the 10 men 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.
Remaining accused
The only Irish national arrested as part of the operation, Sean Curran, aged 38, with an address at Carrickyheenan, Aughnacloy, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, also appeared in court on Monday.
He is on bail and was remanded on continuing bail on the same terms until he is to appear again on July 21 at the Special Criminal Court when a trial date may be set.
The court heard that on that date, lawyers would 'have a better idea' about how long the trial should take.
His co-accused Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega, aged 36, of Cadiz, represented by Brendan Grehan SC instructed by solicitor Eddie Burke, asked for his client's case to be put to July 21 when sentence hearings are already scheduled for some of his co-accused.
It may be possible that some progress has been made on the case at that stage, he said.
Angel Serran Padilla, aged 40, of Malaga, represented by Michael Bowman SC, will also be before the Special Criminal Court on July 21. Progress is also expected on his case at that time.
Justice O'Connor also extended legal aid for a psychological report to be prepared for Mr Padilla.
Two other men charged regarding the offences, Ali Ghasemi Mazidi, aged 50, with an address in the Netherlands, and Raul Tabares Garcia, aged 48, of Cadiz in Spain, are also to have trial dates set on July 21 in the Special Criminal Court.
Their trials are likely to take four to six weeks, the court previously heard. The men were arrested following dramatic garda raids in West Cork on March 14, 2024.
An articulated truck and a SUV were intercepted at Tragumna Pier and a Zefiro campervan was surrounded and stopped by detectives around 15 km away in the village of Leap.
The men were before the Hon. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, Her Hon. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Judge Marie Keane at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on Monday.
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