Two women have gone on trial accused of trafficking two Brazilian women, who were required to work as prostitutes in Tipperary.
The prosecution said the trial would hear that the women were not known to each other. They were met separately at the airport before being taken to various rural towns – including Thurles – where they were expected to work as prostitutes for one week before being moved on to another town.
Opening the case to the jury, Senior Counsel Garnet Orange said it would hear evidence the two Brazilian women, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were living “hand to mouth” in their home country before they arrived in Ireland. They did not have visas, but had been told there was a scheme where they could enter the country and take up work.
He said very soon after they arrived, they realised that they were expected to engage in prostitution.
32 year old Natalia Nogueira Da Silva of Cairn Hill View, Drumlish, Co Longford pleaded not guilty to one count of human trafficking a woman.
She pleaded guilty in front of the jury to one count of organising prostitution and also admitted one count of facilitating the entry into the State of a person she knew to be illegal along with 33 counts of money laundering the proceeds of crime.
Her co-accused, 46 year old Ivanilce (Lisa) Vailones Fidelis of Castle Manor, Racecourse Road, Roscommon pleaded not guilty to all 18 counts against her.
Both women had profiles on a website which the prosecution alleges were set up by the two accused.
The trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and is expected to run for six weeks.
