A sergeant in the Defence Forces is expected to face a court martial over the alleged illegal resale of liquor and tobacco bought from a duty-free shop within the United Nations base in Cyprus. Two other Irish soldiers serving with the UN in Cyprus were sent home before Christmas as a result of a separate investigation into the same type of alleged activity, it has emerged. The sergeant, a man with a considerable service record, is currently stationed at home but served with the UN in Cyprus in the recent past.
The Army yesterday confirmed that a non-commissioned officer had been charged with "conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline" as a result of the investigation instigated at the end of November. It is expected he will face further more specific charges and these will be heard by a court martial later this year.
The Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, ordered the investigation after visiting the UN headquarters in New York in November and being briefed about the alleged illegal trade in duty-free goods from UN bases in Cyprus.
In early December the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieut Gen Dave Stapleton, ordered a legal officer and two military police to Cyprus to investigate the allegations that Irish soldiers were involved in the illegal sale of duty-free goods. The Army team was accompanied by two Garda detectives.
The allegations concern the alleged purchase and resale, mainly to tourist hotels and pubs on Cyprus, of about $1.2 million worth of tobacco and liquor. UN personnel are allowed very significant discounts on goods, particularly liquor and tobacco, when on service on major operations. A litre of Irish whiskey can be purchased for as little as $8 and a carton of 200 cigarettes for $5.
There are usually not the same quantity restrictions as on airport duty-free outlets but UN regulations stipulate that the goods are for personal consumption and not for resale. Last summer the civilian head of the UN mission in Cyprus ordered an investigation into the sale of duty-free goods from a British-run duty-free outlet on one of the main UN bases.
The UN-run investigation led to the initial allegations that Irish soldiers were involved along with other sections of the multinational force in the resale of duty free goods. It is understood Argentinian and Austrian soldiers are also heavily implicated in the affair.
The UN investigation and subsequent Irish military and Garda investigations stem entirely from complaints by senior UN personnel.
It is understood allegations against the two other soldiers who were sent home concerned another UN investigation into minor duty-free irregularities that emerged after the Irish investigators had returned home.
