Cocaine find: Gardaí get an extra 48 hours to quiz duo

GARDAÍ investigating last week’s record €107 million cocaine haul were examining fresh evidence last night recovered from the seabed off Cork.

The discovery of “items of interest” in Dunlough Bay, close to where the drugs were found last Monday, was made just hours before gardaí were granted an extra 48 hours to question two men who were arrested outside Schull on Wednesday in connection with the haul.

The two — Perry Wharrie, also known as Stephen Brown, with an address in Essex, and Joe Daly, with an address in Kent — were brought before Clonakilty District Court just after 9.45pm.

Judge James McNulty granted the application for an extension of their period of detention until about the same time tomorrow night.

Gardaí are waiting for Spanish authorities to complete their interviews of two men, believed to be Lithuanian, who were arrested on board the catamaran Lucky Day on Thursday night.

Chief Superintendent Kevin Ludlow said gardaí found material in a seized vehicle that can be linked to Wharrie. Up to 26 items of CCTV footage will be shown to the men by gardaí.

Meanwhile, detectives hunting for the so-called mother ship now know the US-flagged vessel was moored in Trinidad in the Caribbean in April.

But they are trying to establish if it was in, or near, Irish waters last Monday about the time 60 bales of cocaine were found.

Satellite equipment found by detectives in homes in Kilcrohane last week could provide a vital link between the smuggling operation and the boat’s route in recent days. And gardaí are also examining evidence recovered yesterday afternoon by a team of eight navy divers from the seabed in Dunlough Bay.

The divers discovered a debris field on the seabed close to where a small inflatable boat sank last Monday.

It is understood the find contains loose items from the boat and not navigational equipment.

More dives on the seabed and into caves are planned today, weather permitting.

Gardaí also confirmed they are now hunting for up to eight suspects they believe provided logistical support to the gang who botched the smuggling run.

Detective Superintendent Tony Quilter, who is leading the Garda side of the international investigation, declined to comment on the specific lines of inquiry, which are also being investigated by the US Drug Enforcement Agency.