Cocaine shipments a ‘constant risk’, says customs boss

IRELAND is going to get a share of the multi-tonne cocaine shipments constantly hitting the west coast of Europe, the customs drugs boss said yesterday.

Michael Colgan, head of customs drugs law enforcement, said this was a battle no EU country, including Ireland, could fight on its own.

He said this was why Ireland and six other EU countries on the west coast of Europe had joined forces in establishing a new, and permanent, agency tasked with intercepting maritime cocaine shipments.

“Yes, Dunlough bay was a very significant seizure,” said Mr Colgan. “Yes, we regard this as a very significant threat, but we’re not surprised given the level of trafficking and the type of quantities law enforcement agencies are taking right across Europe.”

He said earlier this year, customs were involved in an operation with agencies in Britain, France, Spain and Portugal, which resulted in the seizure of 1.5 tonnes off the coast of Spain.

“They’re the type of quantities coming from South and Central America directed at Europe. It’s not a surprise that we must be getting some share of that movement. Some of the movement is in excess of two and up to three tonnes. Spain is taking those quantities out fairly regularly.”

He said this “constant risk” was why Ireland had joined the EU Maritime Analysis and Operation Centre — Narcotics, which was established last September and is based in Lisbon.

“In terms of our engagement with the centre, law enforcement is making a very valiant attempt to up our game in terms of our response to the high level of threat.”

He said as well as sharing intelligence, the seven countries will also pool their assets — including naval and air power that Ireland would not have at its disposal.

Mr Colgan said it was not possible, or productive, to have a customs presence all along our coastline, estimated to be about 5,000km long.

“The day of having an officer in every port is long gone. We work on intelligence gathering and sharing. That’s the core business of the Lisbon centre.”

Mr Colgan pointed out that there have been substantial “boat seizures” along the Irish coast over the past 20 years or so, although Dunlough bay dwarfed previous hauls.

He said between July 2007 and February 2008 customs, in conjunction with the Naval Service, retrieved 370kgs of cannabis off the west coast.