Woman arrested in Arklow on drug trafficking charge

The Irish Independent reports this evening that Germany is seeking the extradition of a 34 year old mother of two young children on a drug trafficking charge.

Today the High Court was informed the German authorities are seeking the extradition of Natalia Kowal, a native of Poland but living in Mill Meadows, Arklow is wanted for her role in a conspiracy to import cocaine from the Caribbean.

In October 2001 Ms Kowal is alleged to have brought 1kg of cocaine, worth an estimated €2m, from the Dutch Antilles in the Caribbean to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

The Germans are seeking her extradition on the basis that the alleged trafficking was organised with two others from Bal Nenndorf, Germany.

If convicted she faces being jailed for up to 15 years.

Today at the High Court Detective Garda Paul Comiskey told Mr Justice Daniel Herbert that he arrested Ms Kowal, after meeting with her at her residence at Mill Meadows, Arklow, on foot of a European Arrest Warrant that had been endorsed by the High Court.

The Detective said when he put the charges contained in the warrant and asked her if she knew what they were about she replied "no". The Detective said in his opinion Ms Kowal did not represent a flight risk.

She has been living in the Arklow area for some time and was the mother of two young children aged 6 and 4 years, the Detective added.

Mr Justice Herbert, after outlining to Ms Kowal her rights to legal representation or to consent to being returned to Germany, remanded her on bail. The Judge made the matter returnable to a sitting of the High Court later this month.

Under the terms of her bail she is to sign on twice a week with the gardai, surrender her travel documents, and provide a cash surety of €300.