Three Brazilian nationals charged with owning €3.5m from prostitution ring
Tom Tuite
Three Brazilian nationals have been charged with possessing close to €3.5 million in crime proceeds and enhancing a criminal organisation following a prostitution and money laundering probe.
Matheus Berberick (35) and his 27-year-old sister, Maria Berberick, of Raheen Close, and Sander de Silva Pereira (40), with an address at Loftus Hall, both in Tallaght, were remanded in custody by Judge Ciaran Liddy at Dublin District Court on Friday.
The prosecution stems from inquiries by the Garda National Protective Services Bureau's (GNPSB) organised prostitution investigation and human trafficking specialist units.
The trio is all charged with enhancing a criminal organisation and multiple counts of possessing proceeds of criminal conduct: €2.3 million for Mr Berberick, €470,000 in his sister's case, and €721,000 in relation to Mr Pereira.
Ms Berberick alone faces an additional charge for using a fake identity document as a false instrument.
Detectives Dwayne O'Brien, Jason Guing and Róisín Reynolds told Judge Liddy that the three defendants "made no reply" when charged.
Detective O'Brien told the court that the three defendants' finances remain "frozen" at this stage of the investigation.
The offences allegedly took place at an unknown location in the State from March 1st, 2023 until August 10th, 2026. They have yet to enter pleas and stood silently throughout the brief hearing, with the assistance of interpreters.
Defence barristers Kevin McCrave and Paddy Flynn said that as a result of an organised crime-related offence, a bail application must be made in the High Court, so they were automatically remanded to prison to appear again next Friday.
Mr McCrave said that, in the meantime, instructions would be taken on seeking bail.
No application for legal aid was made.
The Garda National Protective Services Unit has appealed to vulnerable sex workers to access or seek support through Blindfold.ie, an awareness and information campaign on human trafficking, managed by the Department of Justice, or the Ruhama charity that provides nationwide support to women impacted by prostitution and human trafficking for sexual exploitation, or contact gardaí.
