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More than 12 million euros worth of cocaine was seized after a joint search operation between Gardaí and Treasury officials in Co Cork earlier today.
During the search in the port of Ringaskiddy, around 172 kg of suspicious cocaine were seized, worth approximately 12.04 million euros.
The drugs were discovered after a search of containers that arrived in a boat from Central America.
The 210-meter Maersk Nimes, which is registered in Hong Kong, regularly visits Cork with supplies of bananas.
It docked at Ringaskiddy at noon yesterday, after having been at sea for about ten days. It left the port of Moín in Costa Rica on February 6.
The drugs are believed to have been destined for the Irish market.
Garda Deputy Commissioner John O’Driscoll said the seizure demonstrates the potential for collaborative interagency work to address the importation of controlled drugs that harm communities.
He said: “The Garda Síochána will continue to work with others at the national and international levels in targeting the importation and supply of illicit drugs and the organized crime gangs that benefit from such activity.”
Mick Gilligan, Director of Drug Enforcement Customs, said Revenue employed its “full suite of specialized search resources” to monitor the vessel from South America, including a container X-ray scanner, dog detection equipment from drugs and deep search officers.
“Today’s cocaine seizure will have a significant impact on organized crime and demonstrates the hard work that the Revenue Customs Service and An Garda Síochána do every day to confront this threat,” he said.
Additional reporting Jennie O’Sullivan
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