Court refuses bail for alleged human trafficker

The High Court has refused to grant bail to a Romanian national wanted in Italy for human trafficking offences.

The Italian authorities are seeking the extradition of Mr Mircea Remus Contras with an address at North Great Georges Street, Dublin, on charges that in January of this year he was involved in the illegal organisation of trafficking people from the eastern European nation of Moldova to Ireland via Italy.

It is also alleged that Mr Contras (aged 41) has acted as a "consultant" in what is described as the the highly profitable, but low risk, criminal activity of illegally moving people from countries such as Russia, the Ukraine and Moldova into the European Union.

It is claimed that the operation involves the movement of dozens of individuals on a weekly basis.

It is further claimed that Mr Contras provided those who were trafficked with false documentation, including forged passports and Romanian credit cards.

Today at the High Court, Mr Justice Michael Peart said that he was not satisfied to grant Mr Contras bail, as he accepted evidence that he represented a significant flight risk.

While it was accepted Mr Contras was entitled to a presumption of innocence, had never been before the courts, had ties to Ireland, and had surrendered his passport, the judge said that he had to take into account Garda fears that Contras may be able to obtain travel documents that would enable him to leave the State.

The State had strongly opposed bail. Sgt Jim Kirwan of the Garda Extradition Unit strongly urged the court not to grant Mr Contras bail because he may be able to obtain documentation that would allow him to travel to Romania or Moldova.

While it was accepted that Mr Contras has been in Ireland for the last 11 years, and had applied for Irish citizenship in 2006, Sgt Kirwan said that "very little" was known about him.

Mr Contras told the court was in receipt of social welfare, but was the owner of an Audi A8 car.

Mr Contras, the father of a nine-year-old girl, told the court that the charges against him in Italy are "totally false".

He said that he had worked mainly in the construction industry for almost ten of those years. Mr Contras said that he wanted to be granted bail for a short period of time, so that he could spend time with his daughter.

Mr Contras, who claimed that he obtained the car with a €25,000 bank loan while he was working, also told the court that he was prepared to go to Italy to deal with the charges against him.

Mr Contras has been in custody at Cloverhill Prison since his arrest by Gardaí at Moore Street late last month. The judge remanded Mr Contras in custody to a date next week.