Gardaí share first picture of Ireland’s biggest drug seizure

GARDAI have shared the first photographs of the massive quantity of drugs which was seized from a cargo vessel of the south coast earlier this week.

A total of 2,253 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine with a street value of €157m was seized during a major operation involving several agencies and the Defence Forces.

Members of a high-level joint taskforce (JTF) worked together to storm the Panamanian cargo ship MV Matthew in a major operation during challenging weather conditions on Tuesday.

Garda have since tweeted a picture of the quantities of drugs which they seized after the vessel was escorted into the Port of Cork.

Catch of the Day! #KeepingPeopleSafe pic.twitter.com/1FckErEoKK

— Garda Info (@gardainfo) September 27, 2023

Speaking earlier on Wednesday, at a media briefing in Dublin, a senior member of An Garda Siochana said this is the largest drug seizure in the history of the State.

Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly described the action as “hugely significant” but that the 'complex operation' was a 'success'.

Assistance Commissioner Kelly, from the Organised and Serious Crime Unit, said: “It shows our unrelenting determination to disrupt and dismantle networks, which are determined to bring drugs into our country.

“These groups are transnational groups. They are working all across the world and, because of that, we need to work with our international partners.”

He added: “This is a huge hit for the people involved in this.”

Investigators believe not all the drugs were destined for Ireland.

During Tuesday's operation, members of the highly-trained Army Ranger Wing descended by fast-rope from a helicopter onto the ship, which became the focus point of a multi-agency operation which began on Friday.

The co-ordinated response from the Irish Naval Service and Army Ranger Wing also involved customs officers and the Irish police’s national drugs and organised crime unit.

The agencies said the seized MV Matthew is a Panamanian-registered bulk cargo vessel originating in South America.

It was intercepted by the Army Ranger Wing and detained in the early hours of Tuesday.

The elite unit boarded the ship after the Naval Service’s patrol vessel, the LE William Butler Yeats, fired warning shots in its direction.

Two helicopters and two planes were also involved in the operation. The Irish Air Corps and Naval Service had been tracking the container ship over a number of days.