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Iran, Hezbollah, and the Kinahans in league to bring tonnes of cocaine through Ireland
Iran and the Lebanese terrorist group it funds, Hezbollah, worked with the Kinahan cartel in a foiled plot to traffic more than 2.2 tonnes of cocaine through Irish waters, authorities believe.
Direct links between Hezbollah and the two Iranians sentenced on Friday for their involvement in a drug trafficking operation on the MV Matthew, the interception of which led to the biggest seizure of cocaine in the history of the State, are also suspected.
Saied Hassani, 39, a third officer with significant sea faring experience and the former captain of the MV Matthew, Soheil Jelveh, 51, are believed to have direct links to the terror group Hezbollah.
The voice directing operations on the MV Matthew remotely from Dubai, known in Signal and WhatsApp groups used by the crew as 'Captain Noah', named in court as Mehdi Bordbar, who is believed to be a UAE resident, is also believed to have direct links to Hezbollah.
Mehdi Bordbar is believed to be alive in the Middle East and international investigations are now underway into his potential involvement in transnational organized crime.
Venezuela, the South American country which the MV Matthew set sail from and off the coast of which its cocaine cargo was loaded by armed men at night, is also believed to have strong links to Iran, with its anti-US and anti-West ideology, and Hezbollah, the militant group it funds.
Dave Caunter, Director of organized and emerging crime Interpol, Captain Darragh Kirwan, Head of Neval services Operations Command, Angela Willis, Assistant Commissioner organized and serious crime, Ruth Kennedy, Revenue and Sjoerd Top, Executive Director Maritime Analysis and Operation Centre – Narcotics (MAOC (N). Picture: Dan Linehan
Gardaí are also now investigating the two 'persons of interest' identified by gardaí as travelling to Castletownbere in West Cork and buying the Castlemore shipping vessel for some €300,0000, the money sent to Ireland from Dubai.
When this fishing boat ran aground off the Wexford coast in September 2023, it precipitated the collapse of the major drug trafficking operation.
The Castlemore was to collect cocaine from the MV Matthew off the Irish coast in September 2023.
But its wifi malfunctioned, its engine failed, and it ran aground on a notorious sandbank in stormy seas. Its two crew members were rescued by helicopter before being arrested.
On Friday, eight men were sentenced to a combined 129 years in prison for their role in the drug trafficking operation.
They are Dutch national Cumali Ozgen, 49, who was said to be the 'eyes and ears' of the cartel on board the MV Matthew and was described in court as a 'malign force'; Iranians Soheil Jelveh, 51, and Saeid Hassani, 39; Filipino Harold Estoesta, 31; Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk, and Vitaliy Vlasoi, both 32; and Vitaliy Lapa, aged 62; and UK national Jamie Harbron.
Justice Melanie Greally accepted that none of the accused were operating in the higher echelons of the organised crime group which was directing the operation remotely.
But they were 'committed to the success of the venture'.
And maritime drug trafficking cannot take place without the expertise of experienced seafarers, which most of the men were, Justice Greally said.
The Kinahan cartel is believed to be one of multiple organised crime groups involved in the MV Matthew operation.
An operation of that scale would involve multiple crime groups and entities, Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis, head of organised and serious crime with An Garda Síochána, said.
The financing of the operation is being investigated transnationally, she said, but it was 'reasonable to assume' that the Kinahan organized crime group was involved.
Now that eight men have been sentenced for their involvement, the next phase of the investigation is underway, looking at other people in Ireland and abroad. It will also look at asset recovery for those involved.
'These are transglobal networks, they can interchange between each other.
'So we're looking at a number of transglobal potentials.'
Speaking in Haulbowline at a press briefing on the record cocaine seizure after eight men were sentenced to some 129 years in jail for their involvement in the drug smuggling operation, Ast Chief Commissioner Willis said: 'Transnational organised crime groups know no borders. They prey on people's vulnerability for their own financial gain. People are dispensable and expendable when no longer of use to the criminal organization. Life is cheap and protecting their core criminal interests, which is money, is their key priority.
To any person who consumes illegal, controlled drugs in a recreational setting, you are the ones funding these criminal organisations, you are directly linked to the misery and the suffering criminal organisations inflict on our communities.
'An Garda Síochána along with our national and international partners will never waiver in our determination to disrupt, degrade and dismantle these criminal organisations, with the ultimate aim to bring those responsible for addiction and death to justice.'
Representatives from the Joint Task Force that intercepted the MV Matthew and uncovered the largest cocaine seizure in the history of the State, were at Haulbowline naval base in Cork today, with gardaí, the navy and revenue commissioners present.
Representatives from Interpol and the maritime drug dismantling body MAOC-N also attended.
