Seized devices key to smashing drug ring behind missing cocaine, gardaí believe

This truck was searched and seized in Tragumna last week, as part of a Garda investigation into an attempt to land up to two tonnes of cocaine into West Cork. Picture: Andy Gibson

Gardaí believe that 43 electronic telecommunication devices will be the key to smashing an international drug smuggling ring that was attempting to import up to two tonnes of cocaine into West Cork. 

The 10 men arrested last week in rural West Cork remain in garda custody, and naval divers were brought in over the weekend to try to find the missing drugs. 

A global drug trafficking operation run by Dutch and Iranian crime bosses, which also involves the Lebanese militant organisation Hezbollah, had been preparing to import up to two tonnes of cocaine when gardaí swooped to arrest a 10-strong "landing team" in the small villages of Tragumna and Leap last Thursday.

The group was made up of one man from the North, six from Spain, two Dutch nationals, and one from Serbia.

The 43 seized electronic devices — including laptops, mobile phones, and satellite phones — will prove critical in helping build a case against the men, even though drugs have not yet been found. 

Forensic communications experts will try to establish an electronic trail between the suspects and an international operation to import cocaine, while anything relating to travel plans, such as accommodation and flights, will also be vital.

It was initially believed that the cocaine could have been dropped onto the sea bed off Tragumna, but gardaí now suspect that the mission was aborted before any attempt was made to bring the drugs onshore.

“There are other people who will have tentacles to the operation, who facilitated bits and pieces, but whether they are in Ireland or international remains to be seen. The electronic devices will hopefully give a lot more on that," a garda source said.

'There are a lot of devices, a lot of travel plans, which all have to be stitched together. 

"It’s not even the flights, but who paid for the flights. At this stage, we have 10 individuals, most of them don’t know each other, and yet they all end up in the one spot at 5am on a pier in West Cork.” 

Equipment seized in the operation had been modified to increase its “stealth capability”, including the removal of navigation equipment.

The international criminal organisation behind the smuggling has a strict hierarchical structure and comprises members from multiple jurisdictions.

Gardaí are liaising with Interpol, Europol, and police forces in countries, including Dubai, Spain, Holland, Serbia, and the PSNI in the investigation.

The criminal organisation has “vast financial means” and showed itself to be “logistically astute”, travelling by multiple means and sourcing multiple vehicles.

If drugs are indeed on the sea bed, it's thought they may have been marked with a buoy to help those in the landing party locate them with the help of GPS technology. 

Officers are hoping that fishermen in West Cork will come forward if they detect any unusual or new buoys in the sea.

Time is against gardaí as the 10 arrested men have been in custody since last Thursday, in different areas of West Cork, under organised crime legislation. They had their period of detention extended for 72 hours on Friday night, effective from late on Saturday morning. 

There will either have to be a further extension sought on Tuesday morning, or a decision will have to be made on whether they will be released or charged.

A jeep, a camper van, an articulated truck, and a rigid inflatable boat which was inside the trailer of the truck, have been seized by gardaí as part of the operation.

Irish law enforcement agencies are continuing to investigate links between Hezbollah, Iranian gangs, and criminals associated with the Kinahan crime cartel, following the record 2.23 tonnes of cocaine seized off the Cork coast last September.