A bail hearing for four people charged in an international prostitution investigation has heard that 29 vulnerable young women were recruited in Brazil and coerced into sex work in Ireland.
Three men and a woman, all from Brazil, were remanded in custody on Monday at Dublin District Court, where Judge Gerard Jones noted the case involved women taken advantage of for the satisfaction and monetary gain of others.
Their arrests on September 3rd follow a law enforcement operation involving officers from Europol and the Brazilian Federal Police assisting the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) in Dublin.
A team of 60 gardaí were involved in the multi-jurisdictional inquiry.
They face allegations related to 10 brothels in Dublin run since March 2024 by a crime gang involved in human trafficking, brothel keeping and organised prostitution.
The four, who lived in central Dublin, are charged with money laundering involving alleged crime proceeds in various amounts ranging from €29,000 to just over €1.6 million. Bail was refused.
The three men face additional charges for brothel-keeping, organised prostitution at various locations in the State, mainly in Dublin 1, Dublin 7, Dublin 4, and Dublin 8, from March 19th, 2024, to September 3rd last.
Bruna da Silveira (25), of Reilly Avenue, Dublin 8; father of one Vanuti Conrado Skierzynski (35), and 33-year-old Renato Gomes da Silva, both with the same address at Capel Street; and Gabriel do Nascimento, aged 26, who lives at Parnell Street, appeared at Dublin District Court. It was their second court appearance, having been charged last week.
GNPSB Detective Sergeants Andrew Lambe, John Ryan, Alan Lynch, and Michael McGrath told the court that the four defendants were flight risks with no ties to this jurisdiction.
Mr Skierzynski has married an Italian woman and, as a result, has free movement in the EU.
However, the co-defendants had no status or legitimate income in Ireland, and authorities had no record of them entering the country.
The investigation witnesses stated that they believed they used the Ireland–UK common travel area to bring the women in via Belfast to avoid immigration points in the Republic.
Det Sgt Lambe alleged Mr Skierzynski was a significant player, directing the criminal operation’s cell in this jurisdiction. He alleged a single Garda welfare check revealed about six escorts working at one property.
A WhatsApp group instructed the women on what to say and how to keep their rooms clean, ensuring that customers did not meet each other. He said the property owners would not have leased the residences if they had known the purposes.
Det Sgt Lynch alleged that many of the victims were coerced and transported to Ireland. Ms da Silveira was profiting from these activities and also controlled finances, the court heard.
Det Sgt McGrath alleged that Mr do Nascimento controlled online profiles for multiple escorts, as his English was better. It was claimed that he facilitated appointments and phone bookings, and also provided security.
Luke O’Higgins BL submitted that his client, Ms da Silveira, who also worked as an escort, had to be considered a vulnerable person as well in the investigation.
The judge, while emphasising the defendants had the presumption of innocence, denied the bail applications.
The four, who could face additional charges, were remanded in custody to appear again in two weeks.
The court heard gardaí were close to completing the investigation file for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The defendants, who have been granted legal aid, did not address the court or indicate pleas and listened to the proceedings with the assistance of Portuguese interpreters.