Yacht to be used as exhibit in cocaine trial

THE yacht at the centre of last week’s record drugs haul off south-west Cork will be used as an exhibit when the case comes to court.

Revenue confirmed that the vessel, Dances With Waves, will form part of the evidence presented to the criminal trial when it goes ahead, probably some time next year.

Three men arrested after being charged with possession of cocaine on board the yacht on November 5 were remanded in custody at the weekend.

Philip Doo, aged 52, and David Mufford, aged 44, both from Devon and Christopher Wiggins, aged 42, with an address in the Costa del Sol, are all due to appear in Kinsale District Court on Thursday.

Gardaí said results of laboratory testing on the 75 bales of cocaine are not yet available. The purity of the cocaine, estimated to be worth anything up to €750 million, will also form a key part of the state’s case against the accused.

It is thought that the drug may have had a purity as high as 75%.

The cocaine is with the Forensic Science Laboratory for comprehensive analysis.

Customs have the Dances With Waves in custody in Castletownbere, Co Cork, and an examination of its contents and structure is continuing. The 65ft yacht is not registered in any country and is believed to have set sail from the Caribbean about a month ago.

It was tracked by satellite by the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre — Narcotics, based in Lisbon, and the Irish authorities were last Wednesday night given clearance to carry out an interception.

Two heavily armed boarding parties were launched from the naval vessel the LÉ Niamh and the three suspects were arrested and brought to Castletownbere on Thursday evening.

They appeared before a special sitting of Clonakilty District Court on Saturday night following two days of questioning in Bantry and Bandon Garda stations.

Gardaí say the investigation into the cocaine haul — the largest uncovered by the Irish authorities — is continuing.