Woman charged with smuggling men into Ireland via Dublin Airport twice in a fortnight

A woman has been charged with smuggling men into Ireland via Dublin Airport twice within two weeks.

Daniela Rusescu (34), a Romanian national living in the UK, appeared before Dublin District Court after Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) officers arrested her at Terminal 1 in the airport on Saturday evening.

The 34-year-old, of Old Barn Court, Northampton, was held over the weekend and brought before Judge Áine Clancy on Monday.

The judge noted that Det Cathal Brady of the GNIB was opposing bail, citing flight risk concerns.

Rusescu faces two counts under Section 6(1) of the Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act 2021 for assisting a man to enter the State on October 10th and again on October 24th of this year.

The accused was stopped just after 8.30pm following the arrival of a flight from Barcelona, Spain.

She made no reply to the most recent allegation and, for the earlier offence, answered, “I was not here on October 10th. I was in the UK.”

Rusescu, who has yet to enter a plea, listened to the proceedings with assistance from an interpreter.

Counsel said the accused was not proceeding with a bail application at this stage and she was remanded in custody to appear before the court again on Wednesday.

The court heard that gardaí need to obtain directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions on the charges, which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.