A man found floating in the ocean next to 65 bales of cocaine has had his 30-year prison sentence for one of the State’s largest ever drugs haul cut to 23 years by the Court of Appeal.

Lawyers for a man found floating in the ocean next to 65 bales of cocaine have told the Court of Appeal that their client was a “bungling stevedore” in one of Ireland largest ever drugs hauls, rather than a “lieutenant”.

An Englishman jailed for his role in the largest drugs seizure in the history of the State has had his 30-year jail term reduced on appeal to 17 and a half years.

A decision will be made next month in the case of an Englishman who successfully appealed his 30-year prison sentence for his role in the biggest drug seizure in the history of the State.

A Cork judge erred in sentencing an Englishman to 30 years imprisonment for his role in the biggest drugs seizure in the history of the State, the Court of Criminal Appeal has found.