Drugs seized at Ireland's ports 'could be as low' as 5-10% of total trafficked into the country

Head of customs at Dublin Port Tom Talbot said the amount of illegal drugs seized at Dublin Port rose from €18.5m in 2020 to €40m so far this year, but said that included a single €35m seizure last July of cocaine, which was infused into charcoal. File picture

A Customs chief has said the amount of drugs intercepted at ports “could be as low” as 5-10% of all drugs trafficked into Ireland – similar, he said, to other countries.

Tom Talbot said that was the “norm across the world” and that these were average global estimates.