Three more arrests tonight in relation to record cocaine haul

More than 2.2 tonnes of cocaine was recovered  on the Panamanian cargo ship MV Matthew

The cargo ship MV Matthew moored at Marino Point in Cork.

Gardaí investigating the major drug operation in Irish waters on Tuesday have made three more arrests.

More than 2.2 tonnes of cocaine was recovered by gardaí, customs officers from Revenue, and the Defence Forces on the Panamanian cargo ship MV Matthew.

The haul has an initial value of €157m, making it the largest seizure of drugs in the history of the State.

Gardaí investigating the detention of the Panamanian-registered bulk cargo vessel have arrested three men for alleged organised crime offences.

They are in addition to the captain of the carrier ship who was arrested on Tuesday and two men who were in a trawler that ran aground off the Wexford coast, one English and one Eastern European, who were arrested on Monday.

It is understood the gang's intention was to load the consignment, using a crane on the MV Matthew, onto a trawler and land it in Ireland, for onward dispersal.

This plan collapsed after the fishing trawler, being navigated by what various sources describe as inexperienced sailors, failed to reach the cargo vessel because of bad weather and ended up running aground off the Wexford coast.

Investigations are ongoing.