Eleven men in court over illegal cigarette factory

ELEVEN men have appeared before Drogheda District Court charged in connection with the discovery of an illegal cigarette-making operation in Co. Louth on Thursday.

Garda Inspector Martin Beggy told the court that 25million cigarettes with an estimated street value of €57million were recovered in the 8am raid. This represented a loss to the Exchequer of approximately €45million. It is the first time a commercial, illicit cigarette production plant has been discovered in the State.

All of the men face the same two charges, relating to allegations of processing an illicit tobacco product at Killen, Jenkinstown, Dundalk.

The accused men are: Vytautas Pelenis, 33; Mindaugas Pelenis, 35; Evaldas Simonelis, 48; Giederius Palciauskas, 28; Rumuras Butkevicius, 41; Javaras Kairys, 34; Tomas Jarutis, 27; and Vytautas Sakinis, 27, all from Lithuania, and Petar Petrov, 46; Yordan Shopski, 51; and Boti Panicharsti, 62, all from Bulgaria.

In all cases, Inspector Beggy said the DPP was directing trial on indictment in the higher Circuit Court. He said remands in custody were being sought, and that books of evidence would be required.

None of the seven clients of barrister Irene Sands made an application for bail and all were remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court next Thursday. Solicitor Barry Callan represented two other accused men who also did not make any bail application.

Solicitor Róisín Courtney applied for bail for Vytautas Sakinis and Tomas Jarutis.

Gardaí objected to bail for the Sakinis on grounds including that he was a flight risk and was a Lithuanian national with no ties to this jurisdiction. Judge John Coughlan refused bail to him and also to Tomas Jarutis.

All of the accused men were remanded in custody.