Additional evidence delays trial of pilot charged over drug seizure

The trial of a pilot charged over the seizure of around €8.5m of cocaine flown into Abbeyshrule airfield in 2022 has been delayed due to a “significant volume of additional evidence”.

Michael Luczak, a Polish national with addresses at Primrose Avenue, Jigginstown, Naas, County Kildare, and Skerries, Dublin, was due to go on trial this month for the possession of drugs worth more than €13,000 at the Abbeyshrule Aerodrome on August 4, 2022.

Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau officers and other units of An Garda Síochána were monitoring a Cessna single-engine aircraft landing in Abbeyshrule shortly after 6pm on August 4, 2022, before intercepting two vehicles in the Lough Owel area of County Westmeath and recovering 120kg of cocaine from one car later that evening.

Senior Council for the defence, Mr John Shortt, told the court that there would be “insufficient time” during the current sessions of Mullingar Circuit Court to deal with the trial.

“I was prepared to meet a certain case. I don’t know what additional evidence there is, and we may need to seek a documentary junior,” he said.

There are currently 51 witnesses in the book of evidence, and the trial was initially expected to take two weeks. However, due to the volume of additional evidence, it was indicated that it may go into a third week.

“There’s a lot of technical material that a jury will have to take their time with,” said Mr Shortt.

Mr Luczak will reappear on April 11 for mention.