Man accused of €8.4m cocaine haul in Westmeath to learn trial fate in March

Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) officers, supported by other units, monitored a Cessna single-engine aircraft landing at Abbeyshrule Aerodrome, Co. Longford, shortly after 6 pm on August 4, 2022.

Later that evening, they intercepted two vehicles in the Lough Owel area in Co. Westmeath, recovering 120 kilogrammes of cocaine from one car.

Gardai arrested Tim Gilchrist, 55, of Mavis Bank, Newrath, Waterford and pilot Michal Luczak, 42, a Polish national formerly with an address at Primrose Avenue, Jigginstown, Naas, Co. Kildare, and now living in Skerries, Dublin.

Mr Luczak, who has lived in Ireland for 17 years, is charged with unlawful possession and possessing the drugs for supply at the Abbeyshrule Aerodrome on August 4, 2022.

Mr Luczak is on bail and has already indicated he would plead not guilty.

On November 14, his barrister told Judge Johnson that his client wished to have a trial by jury, which was expected to take two weeks.

Today, at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Keenan Johnson considered ordering his trial to commence in April but noted that several matters were already listed for that session, and there was a shortage of judges.

He agreed to a prosecution request to adjourn the case to March 1 for mention.

The co-defendant, who is in custody on remand, is accused of possessing cocaine for sale or supply at Lough Owel, Irishtown, Co. Westmeath, and is due back in court on the same date.

Mr Gilchrist appeared before Judge Johnson on Thursday when his arraignment was adjourned. His barrister told the court the defence needed time to make further progress and said there had been a “small but significant blockage”.

Counsel said that on the following date, the defence would be able to indicate what would occur in Mr Gilchrist’s case.