Two men charged after €150m cocaine seizure off Cork coast

More than €150m worth of cocaine was found onboard a Panamanian registered cargo ship when an elite army unit stormed the vessel on Tuesday as it attempted to escape Irish waters

Two men have been charged in connection with the State’s largest cocaine seizure off the Irish coast and are due in court on Friday.

More than €150m worth of cocaine was found onboard a Panamanian registered cargo ship when an elite army unit stormed the vessel on Tuesday as it attempted to escape Irish waters.

Gardaí believe the cocaine captured onboard the cargo ship was destined for distribution beyond Ireland, potentially into the UK and continental Europe.

The two men, winched to safety from a boat that ran aground off Wexford on Sunday night, were arrested under organised crime legislation.

They were detained in Wexford and have now been charged with conspiracy to import drugs offences.

The two men, one a UK national and one from Ukraine, are due before Waterford District Court today.

Five other men have been arrested in connection with the haul which has been confirmed as the largest cocaine seizure in the history of the State.