No bail for Cork‑based suspects accused of Lithuanian gang membership

Judge said arrest of the four appellants arose from an investigation started in November 2023 into an organised criminal gang with its roots in Lithuanian. File picture

Four people accused of being members of a Lithuanian organised crime group operating in Ireland have been remanded in custody, after they lost an appeal against a High Court ruling that refused them bail.

Jonas Pavillions, aged 47, with an address at Rochestown Road, Cork; Alexandres Kuznecovas, aged 39, with an address at Andersons Quay, Cork; and Stacey Walsh, aged 33, Andersons Quay, Cork, are all charged under section 73 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006, that they did commit a serious offence for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal organisation.

Ausra Motriuk, aged 43, of Rochestown, Cork, is charged with money laundering contrary to section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act, 2010, and also of participating in, or facilitating an organised crime group contrary to section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006.

In addition, Mr Pavillions is charged with drug possession and having drugs for sale or supply, as well as two counts contrary to section 9(1) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, relating to two billhooks and a machete. Mr Kuznecovas is also charged with drug possession and having drugs for sale or supply.

Their arrests arise out of a Garda investigation into an alleged Lithuanian crime group. All four accused were refused bail by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon in the High Court last October.

Appealing this bail refusal before the three-judge Court of Appeal on Thursday, Mark Lynam, for Stacey Walsh, said bail had been refused as the High Court ruled that the appellant may be a flight risk. He said that one co-accused was allegedly found with false documents, so the High Court felt that, as this is allegedly a criminal group, Ms Walsh may have access to the documents.

Mr Lynam said there was no suggestion that his client had ties outside Ireland and she had gone voluntarily to the Garda station, where she made admissions.

Kevin White, for Ausra Motriuk, said she was the wife of a man believed to be the director of the organised criminal gang. He said it was alleged that €40,000 had passed through her accounts one year and €49,000 the following year, to which she allegedly made admissions to the gardaí that her husband would lodge the money, while she did not know where it came from. He said the appellant’s passport was now with the gardaí.

Mr White said she had been refused bail because of her ties abroad, but counsel submitted that there must be evidence of her being a flight risk for bail to be refused.

Mr Justice John Edwards asked, as the appellant’s husband was alleged to be the leader of the criminal gang, was there not a basis for the High Court to be concerned, especially as her husband had access to false documentation.

Mr White replied that there was no evidence that Ms Motriuk had access to this documentation.

Mr White was also counsel for Jonas Pavillions, who the court heard was allegedly “providing protection for street dealers”. Mr White said that two billhooks were allegedly found in a bag hidden by the appellant, while heroin worth €4,000 and a machete were allegedly found in his vehicle.

Counsel said his bail had been refused by the High Court as the appellant had no ties to the jurisdiction and had booked a return flight to Lithuania.

“It looks pretty bleak from his point of view,” remarked Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy.

Mr White replied that Mr Pavillions had offered to stay outside of Cork and had offered an address in Carlow where he would reside.

Séamus Clarke, for Alexandres Kuznecovas, said that the appellant was accused of being “a street dealer”, which counsel described as being “very much at the lower rung”.

John Berry, for the State, said that what ran through all four cases was the alleged commission of a criminal act on behalf of an organised criminal gang, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison.

He said that Mr Pavillions was allegedly “brought to Ireland to provide protection”, and he has no ties to the jurisdiction.

Concerning Ms Motriuk, Mr Berry said that, sometimes in money-laundering cases, a suggestion is made of someone being a “gangster’s moll”, who is unaware of the criminal activity. Counsel said that there were alleged voicenotes between the appellant and her husband about accommodation for a person brought into the jurisdiction for the commission of an offence.

Mr Berry said Ms Walsh was different, as there was just a single charge against her, but she may be facing further serious charges.

In delivering the court’s judgment, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy said that the arrest of the four appellants arose from an investigation started in November 2023 into an organised criminal gang with its roots in Lithuanian. She said that the Court of Appeal had found no error with the High Court's decision to refuse to grant them bail.

Accordingly, the court rejected the appeal.