Gardaí suspect €31m Courtmacsherry cocaine haul was destined for UK market

Gardaí and Naval Service seize €31m in cocaine from an international gang in a major Courtmacsherry coastal sting operation

Gardaí suspect a British-German trafficking gang planned to bring yesterday’s €31m cocaine haul in Cork across the border and onto a ferry to Scotland for UK distribution.

A two-day investigation — beginning with a spy operation by the highly secretive Garda National Surveillance Unit and ending with a high-speed chase by Naval Service fast boats of fleeing gang members — resulted in the arrest of all four members of the drug importation team, which is believed to be Scottish-led.

The four men comprise two Scots, one English, and one German — all in their 30s and 40s. They are described by security sources as “critical” in terms of the “logistics” of the operation.

Two of the men were caught with an estimated 443kgs of cocaine when the elite Garda Emergency Response Unit and armed officers from the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau intercepted their van in Courtmacsherry.

Two other members on a fast rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) were chased by two Naval Service RHIBs, carrying armed members of the NS Maritime Interdiction Team, and intercepted off the Cork coast.

The suspect RHIB had been used to transport the cocaine from a mother ship off the coast to Broad Strand Beach, just south of Courtmacsherry.

Irish agencies have identified the suspect mother ship — a bulk carrier cargo ship — registered in Barbados. They are now tracking its movements, which was in the Atlantic North East last night.

The EU drug interdiction agency MAOC-N, which assisted authorities in the operation, is believed to be helping in this regard.

The JTF is comprised of An Garda Síochána, Revenue, Irish Naval Service, and Air Corps. Picture: DF Press Office

It appears the ship have may docked in recent days in an Irish port to offload legitimate goods before dropping off the drugs out at sea for the landing team - in a trend that authorities in Europe have spotted.

High tide occurred at 3am on Tuesday, and it’s believed the cocaine was brought ashore directly onto Broad Strand beach and loaded into a van just before 4am.

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“The full team has been caught, along with the almost half-tonne of cocaine,” a security source said. "There was full Joint Task Force (JTF) deployment and a great result achieved".

The JTF is comprised of An Garda Síochána, Revenue, Irish Naval Service, and Air Corps.

It is understood that the JTF — probably through Revenue — has contacted with the EU drug interdiction agency, MAOC-N, to try and locate the mother ship and trace its origins, mostly likely South America or the Caribbean.

Gardaí have estimated the haul to be worth around €31m, based on the standard street value of €70,000 per kilo. But given the haul was sent straight from South America without being cut, the final value is likely to be considerably more.

It is the largest seizure of cocaine since the colossal haul of 2.25 tonnes on the MV Matthew off the Cork coast in September 2023, in what was another JTF operation.

It is the largest seizure of cocaine since the colossal haul of 2.25 tonnes on the MV Matthew off the Cork coast in September 2023, in what was another JTF operation.

The Courtmacsherry seizure tops the 300kg haul of cocaine at Foynes Port in Limerick in December 2023, the next biggest seizure in recent years.

Interviews are continuing with the four men arrested and forensic analysis will begin on digital devices that have been found to try and identify recent communications.

Officers suspect the haul was bound for the British market primarily.

“We suspect its for the UK and was heading that way, the North the easiest route, but it’s coming in through our shores,” a security source said.

The Naval Service deployed the LÉ William Butler Yeats offshore patrol vessel for the operation and its two RHIBs pursued the two gang members on their own RHIB.

A Garda HQ statement said: “Two Naval Service rigid-hulled inflatable boats, with members of ships armed Maritime interdiction Team, were launched from LÉ William Butler Yeats and intercepted the suspect RIB off the coast of Cork.

“The suspect RIB was detained by Revenue Customs and the two males were taken on board the LÉ William Butler Yeats. The LÉ William Butler Yeats returned to Haulbowline Naval Base and both males [were arrested] by Gardaí.” 

The Butler Yeats was also involved in the MV Matthew operation. The Air Corps C295 was involved throughout the operation.

Tánaiste and Defence Minister Simon Harris and Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan praised the cooperation of the agencies.