The trial of a man alleged to have been the pilot of an aircraft used to fly over €8 million worth of cocaine into the midlands three ago has begun.
Michal Luczak, 44, faces four charges for unlawful possession of cocaine, possessing it for the purpose of sale or supply, and the possession and importation of drugs worth €13,000 or more at Abbeyshrule Aerodrome, Co Longford on 4 August 2022.
Mr Luczak, formerly of Primrose Avenue, Jigginstown, Naas in Co Kildare, and now with an address at The Davitt, Dublin 12, replied "not guilty" to each charge when he was arraigned at Mullingar Circuit Court yesterday.
Opening the prosecution's case, Cathal Ó Braonáin told Mullingar Circuit Court how Mr Luczak was the pilot of a Cessna 182, a small four-seater light aircraft.
He said the aircraft, which was owned by eight shareholders, including Mr Luczak, left Abbeyshrule Aerodrome destined for Le Touquet airport in France, on 3 August.
The court heard how Mr Luczak was accompanied by another man and the pair stayed overnight before flying to Dieppe airport, also in France, the following day.
There it is alleged five large sports bags and one large suitcase were loaded on to the plane before the aircraft departed for Abbeyshrule.
Mr Ó Braonáin outlined to the jury of eight men and four women how a garda surveillance operation had been put in place.
On landing at Abbeyshrule Aerodrome, he said that six bags from the Cessna aircraft were loaded into an Alfa Romeo car and driven away before being stopped by gardaí at Lough Owel outside Mullingar in Co Westmeath.
The court heard how a search of the car resulted in the discovery of twenty blocks, wrapped in clear plastic, in each bag and Mr Ó Braonáin told the court that evidence from Forensic Science Ireland will outline how an analysis showed the blocks contained cocaine.
The court also heard that Mr Luczak left the aerodrome in a black Mercedes car before being stopped and arrested by gardaí at Collinstown, Co Westmeath.
"In essence he made admissions regarding the journey but denied knowledge regarding the contents of the bags," said Mr O'Braonáin.
The case before Judge Roderick Maguire will hear from 50 witnesses and is expected to last four weeks.
