Pilot found guilty of flying €8.4m of cocaine into midlands seeking new legal team ahead of sentencing

A pilot who was 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, is seeking a new legal team after what has been described as a “breakdown” in communication.

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 for sentencing on Monday.

Solicitor John Anderson informed the court that he was making an application to come off record for Mr Luczak, who requested his sentencing be adjourned for two months to allow him to seek a new legal team. Judge Maguire adjourned the case to April 13 for sentencing.

Mr Luczak went on trial in October on 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 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 on 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, with the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), supported by other units, 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.

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

Mr Luczak was further remanded in custody and will reappear before Mullingar Circuit Court on April 13 for sentencing.