Irish Daily Mirror

Countdown comumdrum

- BY ALISON O’RIORDAN news@irishmirro­r.ie

FAKE cosmetic products are leading to a loss of almost 20% of sales in Ireland, experts said yesterday.

The economic and social damage caused by counterfei­ting can support crime like drug traffickin­g and money laundering.

A report by the European Union Intellectu­al Property Office said the counterfei­t products are leading to €19billion of sales lost every year.

Executive director Christian Archambeau, added: “Fake products take sales away from legitimate businesses and deprive government­s of muchneeded revenue.”

TV genius Rachel Riley has taken to motherhood purrfectly – as this shopping trip snap shows.

The Countdown star, 34, wearing a leopard-print baby carrier with daughter Maven, has said the

“enforced maternity leave” in lockdown helped her.

THE alleged “ringleader” of a gang who is wanted to face manslaught­er charges over the deaths of 39 migrants last year will be extradited to the UK next week.

At the High Court yesterday, Mr Justice Paul Burns heard Ronan Hughes, 40, wants to be surrendere­d to British authoritie­s “as soon as possible”.

The judge ruled the order will take effect on Monday.

Hughes, from Leitrim, Silverstre­am, Tyholland, Co Monaghan, is suspected of being “the ringleader” of an organised crime group who allegedly trafficked the Vietnamese nationals. He is wanted in the UK to face 39 counts of manslaught­er and one count of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigratio­n.

The bodies of eight women and 31 men were found in an industrial park in Grays, Essex, on October 23, 2019.

The migrants had arrived in England last October on a ferry from Zeebrugge in Belgium. The youngest of the victims were two boys aged 15.

The haulier was present yesterday for the hearing.

He was detained on April 20 at his home in Co Monaghan following the endorsemen­t of a European Arrest Warrant issued by the police in Essex and had fought his proposed extraditio­n to

in

court

the UK through the High Court. Mr Justice Burns yesterday rejected Hughes’ points of objection and made an order to surrender him to the UK authoritie­s.

Hughes and his younger brother Christophe­r, 34, have been wanted in connection with the deaths since the beginning of the investigat­ion.

In May, Eamon Ronald Harrison, 23, of Mayobridge, Co Down, who is alleged to have delivered the trailer in which the 39 migrants were found dead, appealed his pending extraditio­n to the UK on the basis the warrant seeking his arrest and surrender was “wholly unsatisfac­tory”.

He is wanted to face 39 counts of manslaught­er and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigratio­n.

The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment in the case.

It is alleged Harrison delivered the trailer in which the bodies of the migrants were found to a Belgian port before its onward journey to Britain.

Maurice Robinson, 25, of Craigavon, Co Armagh, has admitted 39 counts of manslaught­er at the Old Bailey.

He denied a further charge of transferri­ng criminal property. He will be sentenced at a later date.

Four other men will stand trial at the Old Bailey in connection with the investigat­ion on October 5.

 ??  ?? ORDER
ORDER

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Ireland