BREAKING: Limerick man wanted in Europe for alleged human trafficking offence with a speedboat

A LIMERICK man is wanted in Europe on a human trafficking charge which alleges that he attempted to facilitate by speedboat the transportation of 66 people from Greece to Italy. 

Before the High Court this Thursday was Jeremiah O’Brien, aged 55, of Yellow Brick House, Roche’s Road, Rathkeale, Limerick.  

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Detective Garda Tony Keane gave evidence that on November 26, he was on duty in the Rathkeale area when he became aware of a Schengen Information System (SIS) alert for the arrest of Mr O’Brien, which related to a European arrest warrant.  

Det Garda Keane said it is alleged that Jeremiah O’Brien and two other named persons acted jointly between November 9, 2017, and November 16, 2017, by renting a car and between November 11, 2017, and November 23, 2017, by renting a 12m long speedboat. 

It is further alleged that in the early morning of November 22, the respondent facilitated the transportation of 66 human beings, without life jackets, from an unknown desert place near Nafplio, Greece towards Italy. That evening it was discovered that the boat had stranded on a rocky shore near Gyalia beach close to Gerolimenas, Greece.  

Det Garda Keane said the 66 people were 30 adult men (24 from Iraq, four from Syria, and two from Iran), 14 adult women (12 from Iraq, one from Syria, and one from Iran), and 22 children (12 boys from Iraq, one boy from Iran, five girls from Iraq, two girls from Syria, and two girls from Iran).  

Det Garda Keane said that these 66 human beings paid between 4,000 and 6,000 US dollars each.  

The detective said that after he informed Mr O’Brien that he was the subject of the SIS alert for the purpose of arrest, the respondent replied: “I was never in Greece.”  

Det Garda Keane went on to say that after being brought to Henry Street Garda Station and given the details of the charge, the respondent said: “I don’t know anything about that.” 

The detective gave evidence that Mr O'Brien then said that he had been in Greece and did rent a car.  

Counsel for the State, Brian Gageby BL said there was no consent to bail and asked that Mr O'Brien be remanded in custody.  

Ms Justice Karen O’Connor said she was satisfied that the respondent was the person named on the arrest warrant, based on Det Garda Keane’s evidence. She remanded Mr O’Brien in custody to appear back before the court on December 9.