Half a tonne of crystal meth seized at Port of Cork as Kerry retail store also raided

Drugs seizure at the container terminal at Ringaskiddy Co Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

In the region of 500kgs of suspected crystal methamphetamine have been seized in the Port of Cork and linked searches have been conducted at a large retail store in Co Kerry, the Irish Examiner understands.

The massive haul was due to be exported and was bound for Australia, it is believed.

At least two people have been arrested here so far in what gardaí suspect is a major international drug trafficking operation.

Local gardaí in Cork, assisted by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, are leading the investigation.

If the drugs are confirmed as crystal meth it will be, by far, the biggest-ever seizure of the highly addictive drug in Ireland.

Gardaí believe the drugs were not for the Irish market and are suspected to have been due for export.

Sources said this raises the possibility of the drugs having previously been shipped into Ireland from a traditional crystal meth manufacturing country, such as Mexico, to be transported to a final destination.

Drugs seizure at the container terminal at Ringaskiddy Co Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

The other possibility, described by sources as remote, was that the drugs were manufactured here.

Crystal meth factories have been discovered in the Netherlands and have involved a joint enterprise with Mexican cartels.

But the working theory for gardaí appears to be that the drugs were brought into the country for onward transportation.

This would suggest a significant international operation.

However, a major garda search operation took place at a large retail outlet in Kerry as part of the investigation and a number of arrests have been made.

This premises remains cordoned off this afternoon.

Gardaí arrived this morning and a number of customers were told to leave.

Sheds and at least one dwelling and a business premises in the wider area are being searched according to sources.

Two men in their 40s are being questioned.

The Garda press office confirmed that the operation was taking place.

Drugs seizure at the container terminal at Ringaskiddy Co Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

"Following a joint operation at Cork Port between An Garda Síochána and Revenue’s Customs Service, a substantial drugs seizure was made this morning, Friday, 16th February 2024," a statement said.

"It is understood to be a synthetic drug, pending analysis.

"A number of follow-up searches were conducted in Kerry and Cork resulting in the arrests of two men. The men, both aged in their 40s are currently detained at Garda Stations in the Southern Region under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007.

"No further information is available at this time. Updates will follow in due course."

In a statement this afternoon, the Port of Cork Company said a multi-agency operation is ongoing in Cork Harbour, and that it cannot comment on any operations other than to say it is "supporting the various agencies as is needed".

This latest seizure at the Port of Cork follows the confiscation of over 2.2 tonnes of cocaine off the Cork coast in a military-garda-customs operation last September.