Ukrainian refugees in court over illegal cigarette enterprise

Two Ukrainian refugees have appeared in court charged with having over 8,000 illegal cigarettes in Donegal.

Roman Nosenko and Mikhailo Skriaha were brought before Letterkenny District Court after being caught selling cigarettes from a car in Letterkenny last month.

They were found in possession of 8,400 cigarettes while €5,395 in cash was also seized when Gardai swooped on August 22, 2023.

Gardai received a call at 1.40pm about two men selling cigarettes from a Ukrainian registered vehicle at Pearse Road, Letterkenny. Gardai observed a transaction being carried out and saw the two men get into the vehicle and leave.

Gardai subsequently stopped the vehicle and found Nosenko and Skriaha in possession of a large stash of cigarettes.

Officers seized 2000 of Rothmans of London, 1600 of Marlboro Red, 200 of Winston Blue, 200 of a variety of Rothmans, 200 of Lambert & Butler Original silver, 1600 of Marlboro Touch, 200 of L&M red label, 200 of Winston x Style dual, 200 of Marlboro Touch XL, 400 of Aqua Blue, 400 of Parliament Aqua Super Slim and 1300 of Richmond King Size.

The cigarettes had no valid tax stamps affixed. The offence is contrary to Section 78 (3) of the Finance Act 2005 as amended by Section 56 of Finance Act, 2013.

Gardai took possession of the cigarettes and the cash. Sergeant Jim Collins said both men were co-operative in interview and accepted their respective involvements in the enterprise.

The two men were aided by an interpreter when they appeared at Letterkenny District Court before Judge Éiteáin Cunningham.

Nosenko, a 42-year-old with an address at Atlantic Way Apartments, Bundoran and 39-year-old Skriaha, of Atlantic Point Apartments, Bundoran, pleaded guilty.

Mr Frank Dorrian, representing both defendants, said they were in Ireland for around a year having sought refuge from the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Nosenko, a father-of-one, worked as a food processing manager in the war-torn city of Mariupol, which is under Russian occupation. Skriaha, Mr Dorrian said, is a father-of-two who hails from ‘not quite as sensitive’ an area off Ukraine. Skriaha had worked in a bakery before moving to Ireland.

Mr Dorrian said the endeavour was ‘clumsy’ in that they attempted it outside a shopping centre ‘which would draw the eye of the passer-by, the retailer or the gardai’.

“They are both without a criminal record and they are very generously accommodated by the State,” Mr Dorrian said, adding that both the products and the cash were now ‘gone’ from his clients.

Judge Cunningham said she considered the matter ‘significant’. “We are talking significant cigarette and cash amounts,” Judge Cunningham said. “The choice of location was clumsy, but it wasn’t clumsy in any regard. It is a serious matter”

Judge Cunningham directed that a probation and welfare report be prepared in the case of each man and adjourned the case until December 11, 2023.