The largest ever drug bust in Irish history was conducted off the coast of Cork in the southeast of Ireland, as announced by the nation's law enforcement. It was revealed at a news briefing in Dublin on Wednesday that a staggering 2,253 kg of cocaine, estimated to be worth around 157 million euros ($165 million), was seized onboard the “MV Matthew”, a ship originating from South America. The Director General of Revenue and Customs, Gerry Harrahill, provided this information.
“This drug haul is unprecedented in Ireland's history,” stated Justin Kelly, the Assistant Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, the Irish police force, at the same press conference. He articulated the importance of the operation, emphasizing the steadfast determination of law enforcement services to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking operations targeting their country.
Three suspects, ages 31, 50 and 60, are currently being held on suspicion of involvement in organized crime. The related inquiries are being conducted at Garda stations located in County Wexford, as per a Garda press statement.
According to official reports, the narcotics were sourced from South America and were intended for distribution to criminal factions operating within Ireland, the United Kingdom, and other parts of Europe. A collaborative task force, consisting of members from the Irish Revenue Customs Service, the navy, and An Garda Síochána, coordinated the operation to detain the Panamanian registered cargo vessel in the early hours of Tuesday, reports state.
Footage showcased on X, which recently replaced Twitter, by the Irish Defence Forces, captures military personnel rapidly descending from a helicopter onto the ship's deck amidst harsh weather conditions as the vessel tried to manoeuvre out of Irish waters. Following the securing of the vessel by military forces, task force member teams were shuttled on board and a naval ship was assigned to escort the vessel to Cork harbor for subsequent forensic examination. Tony Geraghty, the fleet commander of the Irish Naval Service, described the operation as complex due to uncontrollable environmental conditions and the unpredictable actions of crime syndicates involved. He exhibited satisfaction with the flawless execution of the operation from a defence force perspective.
A statement from Garda states that the operation was intelligence-driven and was done in conjunction with the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre - Narcotics (MAOC-N) located in Lisbon. The MAOC-N is a cooperative initiative involving seven EU nations, namely France, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, supported financially by the European Union.