Pilot found guilty of flying €8.4m of cocaine into midlands airport

A pilot has been found guilty of transporting €8.4m worth of cocaine into a midlands airport in 2022, when 120kg of the drug was transported from Northern France.

Michal Luczak (44), formerly of Primrose Avenue, Jigginstown, Naas, County Kildare, now with an address at The Davitt, Dublin 12, appeared before Judge Roderick Maguire and a jury of 12 at Mullingar Circuit Court for a trial which lasted three weeks.

He was facing four charges, including the possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine for the purpose of sale or supply, possession of cocaine valued at €13,000 or more for the purpose of sale or supply, and the importation from another country of drugs to the value of €13,000 or more.

Those charges relate to the transportation of 120kg of cocaine, valued at €8.4m from northern France into Abbeyshrule Aerodrome, County Longford, on August 4, 2022.

The jury heard how Mr Luczak departed from Abbeyshrule Aerodrome in the Cessna 182-S aircraft that was part-owned by eight equal shareholders, including the accused.

With him was his friend Timothy Gilchrist (57), who told the jury last week that he is serving a 12-year prison sentence, with six months suspended, for his involvement in the importation of the drugs.

The two men flew to Le Touquet airport in northern France, and stayed overnight in a hotel before flying to Dieppe, where five large sports bags and one large suitcase were loaded onto the plane before the two men returned directly to Abbeyshrule, landing in the early evening of August 4.

On that day, Garda surveillance was put in place, and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), supported by other units, were monitoring the aircraft.

When the two men landed, the six bags were loaded into an Alfa Romeo owned by Mr Gilchrist, who was later intercepted and arrested by Gardaí at Lough Owel.

The car was searched and the six bags were each found to contain 20 blocks, each wrapped in plastic with green tape and a picture of a seahorse on them. Each of the 120 blocks was found to contain approximately one kilogram of cocaine, totalling 120kg, with a market value of €8.4m.

Mr Luczak had left the aerodrome in a black Mercedes, and was stopped at Collinstown, County Westmeath, before being brought to Ashbourne Garda Station for interview.

John Shortt SC, for the defence, told the jury last week that his client maintained he was not aware the bags contained such quantities of cocaine and that he had been told they held books and papers and accounts.

However, Cathal Ó’Braonáin BL, for the state, argued that there were too many risks to the criminal organisation involved in the drugs operation for them to “take a chance” on Mr Luczak not knowing exactly what he would be carrying.

The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all four charges after three hours and 16 minutes of deliberations.

Mr Luczak was remanded in custody and will reappear before Mullingar Circuit Court on November 10 for sentencing.