Man came to Ireland 'to clear gambling debts'

A Romanian man who came to Ireland to get work to clear gambling debts accumulated in his native country ended up stealing goods valued at over €6,000 from two pharmacies in Claremorris.

Elvis Dulea, aged 49, with an address at Mirea Mioard, Luiza, Bucharest, Romania, pleaded guilty at Castlebar District Court to two charges of theft from Boots Pharmacy, Silverbridge Plaza, Claremorris and one charge of theft from Aran Health Pharmacy, Claremorris. The goods consisted mainly of Nicorette products.

The court heard that the defendant is currently serving a prison sentence in relation to similar offences that occurred last September and November in other towns around Ireland. He only come to Ireland from Romania early in 2025.

Defending solicitor Gary Mulchrone said his client had planned to get work to clear gambling debts that he had accumulated in Romania. However, his efforts to gain employment in Ireland didn’t work out and as a result he resorted to stealing the goods from the two pharmacies in Claremorris, visiting both on two separate occasions.

Dulea, who has no qualifications, is the father of two children and will be 50 this December. He is now in prison and is not due for release until October 2027.

“Gambling seems to have ravaged his life," said Mr Mulchrone.

The court was told the defendant was observed on CCTV taking goods from both pharmacies.

In one visit alone to Boots Pharmacy on November 22, 2025, he left with goods valued at €3,543, while on September 6, 2025, he also took goods valued at €1,674 from the same premises. He also went to the nearby Aran Pharmacy and took goods to the value of €867.

Taking into account the guilty plea, Judge Michael Connellan sentenced Dulea to four months in prison on each charge, the terms to run consecutively.

• Published as part of the Courts Reporting Scheme.