TWO PLEAD GUILTY TO HEROIN HAUL EXHANGE
HUGE €238,000 HAUL SEIZED AT BALLYMAC FUEL STATION
TWO men admitted their role in the transport of a huge heroin haul valued at almost a quarter million euro at a service station in north, during sentencing at Dundalk Circuit Court.
Before the court were Martin Murphy (43) with an address at Cuirt Droim Art, Carrickmacross, and Viktoras Aksinavicius (25) with an address at The Cottage, Aughnaseda, Co.Monaghan.
Garda evidence to the court indicated that a surveillance operation was being carried out on August 20, 2016 at the service station at Ballymac.
Officers noted a white Volvo truck with Northern Ireland registration plates drive into the forecourt just after 3pm.
The driver got out and was observed filling fuel and going in to pay. When he returned to the cabin, he was observed removing something from behind the driver’s seat. The lorry was then driven around the back of the service station.
Gardai then observed a blue Nissan driving in which they believed had been waiting. It was driven by a female, with a male in the passenger seat.
The Nissan drove up beside the lorry, and they saw the male passenger of the car get out and approach the truck.
He was then seen carrying a bag and getting back into the Nissan. The white Volvo truck drove off and headed towards the MI in a northwards direction.
The Nissan was stopped at the service station by gardai who carried out a search. The bag which gardai had seen being taken from the lorry to the car was sitting in the passenger side footwell.
When an inspection was carried out, gardai found the bag contained three grey wrapped packages.
The man, who the court was told was the accused Viktoras Aksinavicius, and the female driver who was not before the court, were arrested and taken to Dundalk Garda Station.
Meanwhile, gardai who had pursued the white lorry stopped it at Junction 18 on the M1.
The driver, who the court heard was Martin Murphy, was arrested and brought to Dundalk Garda Station.
The court was told Murphy ‘exercised his right to silence’ during interviews.
Viktoras Aksinavicius gave some account of how he came to be at the service station, and the court heard there appeared to be an element of intimidation for him to collect the package.
Gardai confirmed that after analysis, it was confirmed the three packages contained heroin, with a total weight of 1.7 kilos. At the time of the seizure, this had an estimated street value of €238,714.
The court was told that it was accepted the two men had never met before.
Judge Martina Baxter heard that the first accused, Martin Murphy had two previous convictions, for a drink driving offence, and one outside the jurisdiction for ‘ battery.’
Defence counsel said Mr. Murphy had been working as a lorry driver at the time of the incident. He indicated that he had been acting on the instruction of someone else. He great wealth.’
Although he had admitted agreeing to deliver the bag, he only expected to receive payment ‘in the hundreds’ for doing so.
Counsel for the defence told the court that he had suffered from severe stress since the incident, and had attempted suicide a number of times.
He fully acknowledged that he knew he was transporting drugs.
A father of one, he was supported by his family in court, and said his legal counsel was ‘deeply ashamed’ at bringing shame to his family.
Counsel for Viktoras Aksinavicius said his client had co-operated with gardai from the outset, and admitted carrying out what officers had seen on the day.
He told gardai that a request to collect the bag had been made through contact with his family living in Navan.
He gave an account of being fearful for his family’s safety if he gave any further information.
He had since moved away from Navan in order to stay away from those who may have been involved.
Originally from Lithuania, he had come to live in Ireland in 2005. He had worked in the cleaning and laundry services, but lost his job when the guilty plea was entered for the incident.
Judge Martina Baxter remarked that as was indicated in the Probation report, he was using cannabis.
The accused had claimed to be currently ‘drug free’.
Judge Baxter remanded him in custody to Cloverhill prison until 30th November, and ordered that urine analysis be carried out. She also ordered an updated probation report.
Martin Murphy was also remanded in custody until November 30th, with an updated probation report ordered. ‘wasn’t a man of