Nearly €25m worth of cocaine seized at Rosslare Europort over last week

Cocaine uncovered within lined compartment of truck and trailer were searched at Rosslare Europort earlier this week. Picture: Garda Info/PA

A seizure of suspected cocaine at Rosslare Europort on Sunday has brought to almost €25m the value of seizures at the port in the past week.

The seizure of 202.5kgs of the substance was seized on Saturday evening when Revenue officers searched a lorry which had come on the ferry from Dunkirk in France.

A man in his 30s was arrested and was being questioned on Sunday afternoon under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.

The seizure has been given an estimated value of €14.2m.

On Monday, an intelligence-led operation at the port led to the seizure of approximately 150kg of suspected cocaine in a lorry. The haul had a provisional estimated value of €10.5m

The Irish Examiner revealed earlier this week that 50 wrapped three-kilo bags of cocaine were discovered inside a lead-lined container that was concealed inside one of the massive fuel tanks.

The €14.2m seizure is among the largest in recent months.

Local Independent councillor Ger Carthy said Rosslare Harbour has a “very robust immigration, Customs and An Garda Síochána service and the detections in the last week have to be commended.” 

He added that any supports needed for detection equipment or staffing to help tackle the importation of drugs need to be prioritised for ports like Rosslare.

Earlier this month, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said that, as part of the redevelopment of Rosslare Europort, a new high energy X-ray gantry system will be deployed in 2025. 

This is the first high energy X-ray gantry system to be deployed in the State and is expected to be operational by the end of the year, according to Minister Donohoe.