Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told that Abdallatif Mohamed was working in the diplomatic services at the time of his offending in 2024. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
By: Osman Farah , Horndiplomat
A man who misused Somali diplomatic passports to help several women enter Ireland illegally has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
Abdallatif Mohamed (40), also known as Hussein, admitted to four counts of facilitating unlawful entry into the State, offences under Section 6 of the Criminal Justice Act 2021. The crimes took place over a three-month period in 2024. Mohamed, who had no previous convictions, was working within diplomatic services at the time.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that on November 26, 2024, Mohamed arrived at Dublin Airport from Abu Dhabi accompanied by two women he claimed were his wife and daughter. Gardaí met the group at the aircraft door and quickly noticed that the women did not match the photographs in the diplomatic passports presented.
Mohamed was later observed at the Garda National Immigration Bureau offices, where he attempted to hide the women’s genuine passports in his clothing. Gardaí also recovered two mobile phones and nearly $14,000 in cash, along with smaller amounts in other currencies.
Both women confirmed that the passports found on Mohamed were their real travel documents and told investigators they had paid him to assist their entry into Ireland, with one paying $14,000 and the other $15,000.
During questioning, Mohamed claimed he intended to stay in Ireland for one week and would provide proof of onward travel at immigration control. He said he had a separate return booking for himself the following day, while the women planned to remain in the country.
The court was also told that Mohamed admitted to two additional similar incidents on September 30 and November 6, 2024. CCTV footage showed him arriving from Abu Dhabi with a woman, leaving the aircraft alone to pass through immigration using a diplomatic passport, while the woman later appeared without documents and sought international protection. Mohamed was carrying their travel papers during these incidents.
Sentencing Mohamed on Friday, Judge Dara Hayes described the offences as serious, highlighting the misuse of diplomatic passports as a major aggravating factor. He said such documents exist to protect diplomats in the course of official duties, not to facilitate criminal activity.
The judge noted that while the women were not subjected to force or coercion, and there was no evidence of trafficking for forced labour, the operation was clearly profit-driven, with Mohamed playing a central role. Claims by the defence that he acted under pressure due to alleged family kidnappings were unsupported by evidence.
Judge Hayes said the large amount of cash found undermined Mohamed’s explanation, adding that it was difficult to understand why he was carrying such a significant sum if the profits were not for his own benefit.
Taking into account mitigating factors — including Mohamed’s guilty plea and the challenges faced by foreign nationals serving prison sentences — the judge imposed a five-year sentence, suspending the final six months under strict conditions. The sentence was backdated to the date Mohamed entered custody.
