Two appear in court on human trafficking charges

Two men have appeared in court for alleged human trafficking and money laundering in County Donegal.

Georgics Poniza, a 34-year-old with an address at Assaroe Falls, Ballyshannon and Armen Pogosyan, a 28-year-old with an address at Assaroe Falls, Ballyshannon, were brought before Judge Brendan O’Reilly at a special sitting of Ballyshannon District Court on Saturday night.

Each of the accused was charged with four counts of human trafficking and one count of money laundering. Both men were assisted by a Russian translator during the hearing at Ballyshannon courthouse.

The men face four charges alleging that they did traffic a person for the purpose of exploiting the said trafficked person and in or for the purpose of trafficking the said trafficked person coerced, threatened or otherwise used force against the trafficked person and/or deceived them and/or took advantage of the vulnerability of the trafficked person to such an extent as to cause the trafficked person to have had no real acceptable alternative but to submit to being trafficked.

The offence is contrary to Section 4 (1) (a) (b) and (c) and 4 (7) of the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008. These charges relate to four separate alleged victims..

Poniza is also charged with having €51,100 while knowing that or believing that or being reckless as to whether or not the money was the proceeds of criminal conduct.

Pogosyan also faces a charge of having €14,060 while knowing that or believing that or being reckless as to whether or not the money was the proceeds of criminal conduct.

These charges are contrary to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.

The court heard that each of the alleged victims in the matter are Latvian nationals. The charges arise from a complex investigation, which has been ongoing for the last 18 months in conjunction with police in other jurisdictions.

The pair were initially arrested on Tuesday morning and detained at Ballyshannon Garda station under section 50 Criminal Justice Act 2007. The period of their detention was extended on Wednesday by a further 72 hours.

Detective Garda Patrick Kelly gave evidence of arresting Poniza at 11.16pm on October 27, 2023 at Ballyshannon Garda Station. Poniza was charged at 1.18am on October 28, 2023. The charges were translated by an interpreter.

Poniza, a married father-of-four, made no reply to the charges.

Mr Rory O’Brien, solicitor for Poniza, said his client has been living in the Ballyshannon area for the last eight years and works in a garage locally.

Poniza’s wife was present at the courthouse.

Poniza’s residence and vehicle were also searched as part of the Garda probe.

Judge O’Reilly remanded Poniza in custody with consent to bail to appear before Ballyshannon District Court on Friday, November 3, 2023.

Bail is conditional on Poniza’s own bond of €10,000, with €1,000 to be lodged in cash and the cash source to be verified. Judge O’Reilly also asked for two independent sureties of €20,000 with €3,000 cash to be lodged by each and the source to be verified.

Poniza has to surrender his passport and not undertake to apply for a new one and must sign on daily at a Garda Station.

Poniza was ordered to have no contact, either directly or indirectly, with any of the alleged victims or potential witnesses in the case.

Detective Garda Mark Deavin gave evidence of arresting Pogosyan at 11.38pm on October 27, 2023.

At 2.07am on October 28, 2023, Pogosyan was charged in the presence of an interpreter.

Pogosyan, an Armenian national who holds an Uzbekistan passport, replied ‘no comment’ after each charge was put to him.

Solicitor for Pogosyan, Mr Morgan Coleman, said his client is a 28-year-old married man with no other dependents. Mr Coleman said Pogosyan does not wish to return to Uzbekistan. “There is no future there. He has a good life here,” Mr Coleman said, adding that his client is ‘a man of limited enough means’.

Mr Coleman told the court that Pogosyan works two jobs and is employed in both a supermarket and a hardware shop.

Judge O’Reilly remanded Pogosyan in custody with consent to bail to appear before Ballyshannon District Court on Friday, November 3, 2023.

Bail is conditional on Pogosyan’s own bond of €10,000, with €750 to be lodged in cash and the cash source to be verified. Judge O’Reilly also asked for two independent sureties of €20,000 with €2,000 cash to be lodged by each and the source to be verified.

Pogosyan has to surrender his passport and not undertake to apply for a new one. Pogosyan must remain in the Republic of Ireland and was ordered to have no contact, either directly or indirectly, with any of the alleged victims or potential witnesses in the case and must sign on daily at a Garda Station.

Gardai, alongside international colleagues, made the arrests as part of an investigating into the alleged trafficking of persons into Ireland for the purpose of labour exploitation.

Europol officers were in Donegal during the international Law Enforcement Operation, which involved a Joint Investigation Team, established in conjunction with Law Enforcement in Latvia.

An Garda Síochána’s Human Trafficking Investigation and Coordination Unit (HTICU) at GNPSB, the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau (GNCCB), Garda Mutual Assistance Section and the Garda Síochána Analysis Service (GSAS) are all involved in the investigation.

A Garda spokesperson said: “An Garda Síochána continues to appeal to any person who may be the victim of human trafficking or labour exploitation to speak to a member of An Garda Síochána, either at your local garda station or call the Garda Confidential Phone Number 1800 666 111

“An Garda Síochána understands that victims of these crimes may not always be in a position to report themselves, maybe there is opportunity to speak to a Garda who you might meet at any location.

“Importantly, An Garda Síochána  appeals to any person with any information on these heinous crimes or suspects that any person is the victim of human trafficking to speak up, talk to a member of An Garda Síochána, either at your local garda station the Garda Confidential Phone Number 1800 666 111 or to any members of An Garda Síochána.”