The Director of Public Prosecutions v Zlatka Sevdalinova Aleksieva

Date 

07 November 2023

Venue 

Court 5, Criminal Court of Justice, Parkgate Street, Dublin.

Judge

Her Honour Judge Martina Baxter

Summary 

Ms  Zlatka Sevdalinova Aleksieva, with an address at 41 Lyule Burgas Street, City of Harmanli, Bulgaria, entered a plea of guilty to the offences, contrary to Section 119(1) and (2) of the Finance Act, 2001, as amended:

1. Were concerned in the evasion of a duty of excise on excisable products to wit, 32,200 cigarettes with intent to defraud (either directly or indirectly) the State of such duty.     
2. Were concerned in the attempted evasion of a duty of excise on excisable products to wit, 32,200 cigarettes with intent to defraud, (either directly or indirectly) the State of such duty.     
3. Did deal with excisable products to wit, tobacco products, 32,200 cigarettes with intent to defraud (either directly or indirectly) the State of such duty.     

Outcome 

On 07 November 2023, at the Criminal Court of Justice, Judge Baxter sentenced Ms Aleksieva to be imprisoned for a period of one year on each of Count Nos. 1, 2 and 3, such sentence to run concurrently, but suspend said sentence on the accused, in open Court, acknowledging herself bound to the people of Ireland in the sum of €100.00, the conditions being:

1. That she will keep the peace and be of good behaviour towards the people of Ireland for a period of 1 year from this date.
2. That she will undertake to forfeit €5,000 lodged with the Court for her bail bond.
3. That she will comply with all directions regarding her deportation or return to Bulgaria.  And further, that she will come up, if called on to do so, to serve the sentence imposed, but suspended on it entering into this recognisance. 

The accused, having acknowledged herself so bound, was discharged.  The Court doth order the forfeiture and destruction of the cigarettes seized.