EU agency will restrict cocaine trafficking

A NEW EU agency will clamp down on the trafficking of cocaine into Ireland and the rest of western Europe, Justice Minister Brian Lenihan said yesterday.

He said the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (Narcotics) would “vastly increase” the monitoring of suspect ships in Irish waters.

The centre — based in Portugal — brings together the intelligence and resources of seven EU states, including those with significant naval strength, such as Britain, France and Spain.

“I am delighted that Ireland has played a leading role in the establishment of this centre, which will lead the fight against those trafficking cocaine into Europe and consequently into Ireland,” said Mr Lenihan.

“With over 16% of EU territorial waters in the Irish zone, the reasons for Irish participation in this initiative are obvious. The pooling of resources will lead to vastly increased monitoring of suspicious vessels heading towards Irish waters. This in turn will lead to increased seizures and a reduction in the supply of cocaine.”

While the level of maritime trafficking into Ireland is unknown, recent seizures off the Cork and Galway coast highlight the existence of a significant trade and the vulnerability of the Irish coastline.

Mr Lenihan was speaking at the signing of a treaty in Lisbon establishing the new centre, along with his counterparts in Britain, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal and Italy. “The opening of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre will make the EU a much more hostile place for cocaine traffickers to operate. Ireland’s participation steps up the Government’s fight against the scourge of cocaine,” he said.

The vast majority of cocaine is transported by ship from South America either directly into western Europe or via west Africa.

The United Nations Office on Drugs says the main entry point in Europe is Spain, accounting for 48% of European seizures followed by Portugal (18%) and the Netherlands (14%).

Much of the cocaine into Ireland comes by air from other European countries or through indirect flights from Africa and South America.

The minister said the centre will focus on interdicting large maritime and aviation cocaine shipments into Europe from, in particular, South and Latin America.

Mr Lenihan said the treaty also provided for the possibility of extending the operational area into the western Mediterranean basin.

Each participating state is represented at the centre.

Ireland is represented by the Irish Drugs Joint Task Force of An Garda Síochána, the Customs Service and the Naval Service.

“The prevalence of cocaine in Irish society has increased enormously in recent years,” said Mr Lenihan. “As well as the obvious social and health consequences, this trade also fuels organised and gangland crime, and ultimately leads to a futile loss of life.”