A Dutch woman accused of importing almost €500,000 worth of heroin into Ireland has told a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury she thought she was carrying money.
Ms Evonna Cevat (43), of Legmeer Plain, Amsterdam, pleaded not guilty to possession of just over €470,000 worth of heroin at Larch Hill, Santry on December 10th last year and also to illegally importing the drugs into DublinAirport.
She told defence counsel Mr Felix McEnroy SC she was offered €2,000 to bring a package of money to Ireland with a friend. She said this would have been a lot of money for her as her only income was from the Social Welfare and Christmas was coming up.
Ms Cevat said she and male friend were approached by a man in a coffee shop in Amsterdam and asked if they would like to make €2,000 each by taking money to Ireland.
She told Mr McEnroy her daughter was 18 and she had devoted her life to rearing and educating her. Her daughter was doing very well in school and she had hoped to buy her a TV for her room as a treat with the €2,000.
Ms Cevat said her mother had died a short time before she came to Ireland and her father was ill at the moment. She herself had had a breast removed due to cancer and the last surgery had been several months before this incidenthappened.