Man pleads guilty to possession of cocaine worth €8.5m in Westmeath
By Tom Tuite
A Waterford man has pleaded guilty and has been remanded in custody pending sentencing over a seizure of about €8.5m of cocaine in Westmeath in 2022.
Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) officers, supported by other units, monitored a Cessna single-engine aircraft landing at Abbeyshrule Aerodrome, Co Longford, shortly after 6pm on August 4, 2022.
Later that evening, they intercepted two vehicles in the Lough Owel area outside Mullingar, recovering 120 kilogrammes of cocaine from one car.
Gardai arrested Tim Gilchrist, 56, of Mavis Bank, Newrath, Waterford, and pilot Michal Luczak, 43, a Polish national formerly with an address at Primrose Avenue, Jigginstown, Naas, Kildare, and now living in Skerries, Dublin.
Mr Gilchrist, who has never applied for bail since his arrest, appeared again for arraignment before Judge Keenan Johnson at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court on Friday.
He is accused of possessing drugs worth €13,000 or more for sale or supply at Lough Owel, Irishtown, Co. Westmeath, on the date of his arrest.
The offence can attract a 10-year sentence.
Dressed in a grey tracksuit, Gilchrist confirmed his name and replied “guilty” when the charge was put to him.
John Hayden BL, prosecuting, told the court the value of the drugs in the case was about €8.5m.
Michael O’Higgins SC, defending, said Gilchrist had no prior convictions, and he applied for an adjournment to prepare documentation about his client’s good character for the next hearing.
Judge Johnson remanded Gilchrist in custody to appear again on July 2 for sentence but did not think it necessary to seek a probation report at this stage.
Garda evidence and a mitigation plea will also be heard at his next court appearance.
Co-accused Mr Luczak, who has lived in Ireland for 17 years, is charged with the same offence but at a different location, the Abbeyshrule Aerodrome, on August 4, 2022.
The father of two remains on bail and has already indicated he would plead not guilty. On Friday, Judge Johnson heard Mr Luczak’s jury trial was expected to last two weeks.
His case was adjourned until April 9, when it will be listed for mention to allocate dates for his trial.