logo
Two arrested after multi-agency cocaine seizure in Cork

Two arrested after multi-agency cocaine seizure in Cork

Irish Daily Mirror16 hours ago
Two men have been arrested as part of a massive multi-agency operation currently ongoing in Cork.
On Tuesday morning Gardaí from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau stopped a van in the Courtmacsherry area of County Cork and a large quantity of suspected cocaine was recovered. Gardaí said that the exact quantity and value are yet to be determined.
Two males, aged in their 30s and 40s, have been arrested and are currently detained in a Garda Station in Co. Cork under section 50 Criminal Justice Act 2007.
The operation is supported by the Joint Task Force partners, Revenue's Customs Service, the Irish Naval Service, and local Gardaí and the Irish Air Corps.
A Garda spokesperson said that as this is an ongoing operation 'no further details are available at this time'.
A spokesperson for Revenue told the Irish Mirror: 'A Joint Task Force Drugs Interdiction operation is ongoing at this time in Co. Cork.
The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
'As part of an intelligence-led joint operation, Revenue officers seized a large quantity of suspected controlled drugs (exact quantity and value yet to be determined), in the Courtmacsherry area of County Cork.
'The seizure was made as a result of a Joint Task Force (JTF) operation comprising members of An Garda Síochána, Revenue's Customs Service, the Irish Naval Service, and the Irish Air Corps.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Gardaí suspect €31m Courtmacsherry cocaine haul was destined for UK market
Gardaí suspect €31m Courtmacsherry cocaine haul was destined for UK market

Irish Examiner

time3 hours ago

  • Irish Examiner

Gardaí suspect €31m Courtmacsherry cocaine haul was destined for UK market

Gardaí suspect a British-German trafficking gang planned to bring yesterday's €31m cocaine haul in Cork across the border and onto a ferry to Scotland for UK distribution. A two-day investigation — beginning with a spy operation by the highly secretive Garda National Surveillance Unit and ending with a high-speed chase by Naval Service fast boats of fleeing gang members — resulted in the arrest of all four members of the drug importation team, which is believed to be Scottish-led. The four men comprise two Scots, one English, and one German — all in their 30s and 40s. They are described by security sources as 'critical' in terms of the 'logistics' of the operation. Two of the men were caught with an estimated 443kgs of cocaine when the elite Garda Emergency Response Unit and armed officers from the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau intercepted their van in Courtmacsherry. Two other members on a fast rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) were chased by two Naval Service RHIBs, carrying armed members of the NS Maritime Interdiction Team, and intercepted off the Cork coast. The suspect RHIB had been used to transport the cocaine from a mother ship off the coast to Broad Strand Beach, just south of Courtmacsherry. Irish agencies have identified the suspect mother ship — a bulk carrier cargo ship — registered in Barbados. They are now tracking its movements, which was in the Atlantic North East last night. The EU drug interdiction agency MAOC-N, which assisted authorities in the operation, is believed to be helping in this regard. It appears the ship have may docked in recent days in an Irish port to offload legitimate goods before dropping off the drugs out at sea for the landing team - in a trend that authorities in Europe have spotted. High tide occurred at 3am on Tuesday, and it's believed the cocaine was brought ashore directly onto Broad Strand beach and loaded into a van just before 4am. 'The full team has been caught, along with the almost half-tonne of cocaine,' a security source said. "There was full Joint Task Force (JTF) deployment and a great result achieved". The JTF is comprised of An Garda Síochána, Revenue, Irish Naval Service, and Air Corps. It is understood that the JTF — probably through Revenue — has contacted with the EU drug interdiction agency, MAOC-N, to try and locate the mother ship and trace its origins, mostly likely South America or the Caribbean. Gardaí have estimated the haul to be worth around €31m, based on the standard street value of €70,000 per kilo. But given the haul was sent straight from South America without being cut, the final value is likely to be considerably more. It is the largest seizure of cocaine since the colossal haul of 2.25 tonnes on the MV Matthew off the Cork coast in September 2023, in what was another JTF operation. The Courtmacsherry seizure tops the 300kg haul of cocaine at Foynes Port in Limerick in December 2023, the next biggest seizure in recent years. Interviews are continuing with the four men arrested and forensic analysis will begin on digital devices that have been found to try and identify recent communications. Officers suspect the haul was bound for the British market primarily. 'We suspect its for the UK and was heading that way, the North the easiest route, but it's coming in through our shores,' a security source said. The Naval Service deployed the LÉ William Butler Yeats offshore patrol vessel for the operation and its two RHIBs pursued the two gang members on their own RHIB. A Garda HQ statement said: 'Two Naval Service rigid-hulled inflatable boats, with members of ships armed Maritime interdiction Team, were launched from LÉ William Butler Yeats and intercepted the suspect RIB off the coast of Cork. 'The suspect RIB was detained by Revenue Customs and the two males were taken on board the LÉ William Butler Yeats. The LÉ William Butler Yeats returned to Haulbowline Naval Base and both males [were arrested] by Gardaí.' The Butler Yeats was also involved in the MV Matthew operation. The Air Corps C295 was involved throughout the operation. Tánaiste and Defence Minister Simon Harris and Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan praised the cooperation of the agencies.

Breaking Former swimming coach George Gibney arrested in US
Breaking Former swimming coach George Gibney arrested in US

RTÉ News​

time7 hours ago

  • RTÉ News​

Breaking Former swimming coach George Gibney arrested in US

The former Irish national swimming coach George Gibney has been arrested in the United States. Mr Gibney, who is now in his 70s, is wanted in Ireland to face over 50 historical sexual abuse charges. He was arrested in Florida this afternoon by US Marshalls on foot of an Irish extradition warrant. He is being detained pending a court appearance there and can decide whether to accede or contest his extradition. Gardaí reopened their investigation into the former swimming coach after a number of people made allegations against him on a BBC podcast over five years ago. A specialist team within the Garda National Protective Services Bureau commenced the criminal investigation in 2020 and a file was sent to the DPP three years later. The Sexual Crime Management Unit within the Garda Protective Services Bureau, which specialises in investigating difficult, historic and high-profile cases of sexual abuse, conducted the investigation. The DPP examined the file and subsequently recommended that Gibney be charged with more than 50 alleged offences. Gardaí then secured an extradition warrant in the High Court seeking Mr Gibney's extradition and have been working with the US authorities for over six months.

Two arrested on inflatable boat amid massive West Cork drugs bust
Two arrested on inflatable boat amid massive West Cork drugs bust

Extra.ie​

time8 hours ago

  • Extra.ie​

Two arrested on inflatable boat amid massive West Cork drugs bust

Two men have been arrested as they were intercepted off the West Cork Coast after a huge quantity of drugs was seized. On Tuesday, members of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau stopped a van in the Courtmacsherry area of Cork, arresting two men, aged in their 30s and 40s, following the seizure of cocaine. The seizure led to two further arrests, as a pair of men, also in their 30s and 40s, were pursued as they departed Broadstrand in Courtmacsheery in a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB). The Irish Naval ship, the L.É. William Butler Yeats was on patrol in the area as part of the Joint Task Force operation and responded to the RIB, alongside a Maritime patrol aircraft from the Irish Air Corps. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins An estimated €31m worth of cocaine was dropped to the shore and loaded into the van in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Acting on intelligence, a Joint Task Operation was carried out with the Irish Air Corps, Maritime patrol aircraft and Irish Naval Ship deployed to track down the men departing the area via the RIB. The Irish Naval ship, the L.É. William Butler Yeats was involved in the operation, with two Naval Service rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RIBs) and members of the ship sailing out to intercept the men fleeing the Cork coast. The suspect RIB was detained by Revenue Customs Services and the men on board were brought onto the L.É William Butler Yeats before the boat returned to Haulbowline Naval Base. All four men remain detained in Garda stations across Cork.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store