A 40-year-old haulier wanted in the UK to face charges in connection with the deaths of 39 Vietnamese people in England last October has been described in court as "the ringleader" of a people-smuggling group in the UK.
Ronan Hughes, from Leitrim, Silverstream, Tyholland in Co Monaghan, is facing 39 charges of manslaughter and a charge of assisting unlawful immigration.
The State is objecting to his application for bail in the High Court today.
The court was told that Mr Hughes faces a life sentence in prison if convicted and has the means and ability to flee at the appropriate time.
Mr Hughes appeared on video link for his application for bail.
The bodies were discovered in a refrigerated trailer parked on an industrial estate in Grays in Essex in England on 23 October last year after it had been shipped to the UK from Belgium.
The consignment had been falsely declared as biscuits.
The court heard today the migrants died from a lack of oxygen between 8pm and 10pm after they had entered UK territorial waters.
Detective Sergeant James Kirwan of the Garda's Extradition Section told the court today that between 1 May 2018 and 24 October 2019 Mr Hughes conspired with others to smuggle illegal migrants into the UK.
He said the migrants were smuggled in commercial trailers owned and operated by Mr Hughes and he had organised and paid the drivers.
Det Sgt Kirwan said when the driver, Maurice Robinson, who has since pleaded guilty, discovered the bodies of the migrants in the trailer he called Mr Hughes, as well as the emergency services.
The court heard that Ronan Hughes was the "ringleader" and "chief organiser" of the group bringing illegal migrants to the UK and did so for financial gain.
He had been identified by Essex Police as the organiser and there was extensive phone and travel documentation.
Det Sgt Kirwan also testified that on a previous occasion Mr Hughes was involved in smuggling 11 Vietnamese migrants into the UK and that he visited Robinson to pay him £25,000.
The court heard that the migrants pay large sums to be smuggled into the UK and the drivers are also paid large sums.
Det Sgt Kirwan said that Mr Hughes had made a substantial amount of money and was being investigated by the Criminal Assets Bureau.
He said gardaí believe Mr Hughes has access to a large number of vehicles, €210,000 had been frozen in 33 bank accounts, he has an interest in a villa in Florida and an address in Northern Ireland, and last year bought a 2019 BMW X5 for €108,000.
His family home in Leitrim, Tyholland in Monaghan is on a site built beside his father's house, furnished to a high standard and the house was built without a mortgage.
His haulage company, the court heard, is registered in Bulgaria, he has many lorries and trailer units registered to him and not all vehicles connected to Mr Hughes have been located.
Det Sgt Kirwan also said on the 24 October 2019, when the bodies of the migrants were discovered, all vehicles of value were removed from Mr Hughes' usual yard at Tyholland and CAB investigators are still trying to locate them.
The court was also told that Mr Hughes has previous road traffic and smuggling convictions in Ireland and the UK.
He was sentenced to 30 months in prison for evading almost €1m worth of excise duty in the UK on five million smuggled cigarettes.
Det Sgt Kirwan said gardaí were objecting to bail on the seriousness of the charges Mr Hughes faces and their belief that should the High Court order his extradition he would not present himself to be handed over to the UK authorities.
The High Court will give its decision on the bail application tomorrow morning.
