Five Chinese men were charged in court yesterday with various offences following a Garda raid on a Dublin city-centre apartment.
One man was charged with assault, false imprisonment and robbery, three were charged with robbery and a fifth with failing to turn up in court over an outstanding assault charge.
All five, with a shared address at The Cobbles, East Essex Street, Temple Bar, were remanded in custody without bail until May 3rd.
The men were charged before Dublin District Court shortly after noon yesterday following their arrest in the Temple Bar apartment at about 7.30 a.m. on Wednesday.
Sgt Michael Cryan and Det Garda James Diskin said all five men had charges read to them on Wednesday night. Four had nothing to say in reply.
Mr Liu Xing (23) is charged with falsely imprisoning a 19-year-old student, Mr Wu Guang Hao, at the Temple Bar apartment. He is also charged with assault causing harm, and robbery of £182 from Mr Johnny Tsang at East Essex Street on April 13th.
The three men charged with robbery in the same incident are Mr Xiu Be Wen (22), Mr Xiu Hui (27) and Mr Guo Jia (22).
The fifth man, Mr Meng Yi (25), was charged with failing to turn up in court, having been released on bail on assault charges last October. He had been re-arrested and granted bail again, but failed to appear in court on April 23rd.
All have sought legal aid and none applied for bail. A Chinese student freed during the raid was treated for head injuries.