Five men have been found guilty in Britain for conspiring to import 1.4 tonnes of cocaine on a yacht that was under surveillance by the Irish Navy and Air Corps as it travelled across 200 miles of Irish waters last August.

In excess of €500m worth of drugs have been seized by European law enforcement agencies since the start of the year, reflecting a substantial increase in trafficking across the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

The Irish navy and air corps played a key role in the seizure of at least 500kg of cocaine in an international operation targeting a major drug-trafficking gang.

The impact of Britain’s EU vote on the operation of the European arrest warrant is one of the key security concerns of gardaí and justice officials here.

The mystery buyer who paid €70,000 for a yacht, which was at the centre of one of the largest ever drug hauls in the country, will need to spend at least €50,000 more to refurbish it.

The West Cork coastline has long been a favourite drop-off point for drugs traffickers as they’ve seen it as an easy ‘back-door route’ into Britain.

MORE than 250 suspects were arrested last year in dedicated operations targeting organised crime gangs and dissident republicans.

ONE of three cocaine smugglers sentenced to 10 years’ jail yesterday would have received £500,000 (about €550,000) if a potentially deadly €400 million cargo had reached Britain.

ONE of Europe’s top drug enforcement chiefs yesterday warned governments to keep up a united front in the fight against South American cocaine cartels.

Three men caught off the Cork coast with almost two tonnes of cocaine will be sentenced today for their roles in an elaborate international drugs smuggling ring.

A third man today admitted his role in Ireland’s largest ever drugs seizure.

THE value of drugs seized last year has breached thee200 million mark, official figures show.

Three British men appeared at a special court sitting tonight charged in connection with the massive 1.7 tonne cocaine haul seized from a yacht off the west coast.

THE head of the EU agency involved in Thursday’s cocaine haul described the operation as a “huge success”.

MORE than 250 people were involved in the joint operation which led to the biggest seizure of drugs in the history of the state.

South American drug cartels see this country as a vulnerable entry point, writes Cormac O’Keeffe.

IRELAND has the fourth highest use of cocaine in the EU, according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) report.

GARDA and Customs officers will be deployed to a European agency which aims to tackle the increasing shipments of cocaine into Europe.