Irish court okays Czech criminals' extradition

Prague/Dublin, Jan 29 (CTK) - An Irish court in Dublin has agreed with the extradition of Tomas Puta and Maros Sulej, Czech Berdych gang members, for possible prosecution in the Czech Republic in several cases including a "robbery of the century," Puta's lawyer Jaroslav Ortman told CTK Friday.
Ortman referred to Puta and Sulej's Irish defence lawyer.
Some 153 million crowns were lost in the "robbery of the century."
Ortman said the two men's Irish lawyer, Kieran Kelly, told him that the High Court in Dublin made the decision one week ago.
Ortman said Kelly told him that he will try to appeal the decision, but that it will probably be difficult and that he thinks the extradition will be valid.
The Czech Justice Ministry has not confirmed the information about the two men's extradition, saying it has not yet received an official statement from Ireland.
Puta together with Sulej, a former member of the Slovak police riot police, were detained in Ireland on the basis of a European arrest warrant in 2006.
They were in custody in Ireland until May 2008.
The Dublin court previously extradited them for criminal prosecution in the Czech Republic over the crimes that the gang committed in 1999-2001.
The trial concerned more than ten crimes, mainly attacks on businessmen and lorries with robbery.
Puta was sentenced to ten years and Sulej to six years in prison. The verdicts are valid.
Several verdicts have already been given in the trials of the gang members. The case is unique by its extent and connection between the underworld and elite detectives who were to fight organised crime. Instead they covered up the crimes in exchange for payment.