Gardaí get further extension to question men in relation to €32.8m Cork drugs find 

Gardaí outside Tralee District Court on Wednesday. Picture: Domnick Walsh

Gardaí have secured a further, and final, extension from the courts to question two men in relation to the landmark seizure of half a tonne of crystal methamphetamine last Friday in the Port of Cork.

Detectives in Kerry obtained the 48-hour extension after a previous detention extension, provided by the courts at the weekend, was due to end on Wednesday.

It will mean the two men will be in custody for the maximum possible detention period of seven days.

The seizure in Ringaskiddy revealed by far the biggest-ever haul of crystal meth in the country.

The 546kgs of the highly addictive drug has been given an estimated street value in Ireland of just under €33m.

Gardaí seized €32.8m worth of drugs in Cork last Friday.

Officers believe the drug was en route to Australia, where it would be worth a multiple of that, given the high cost of the drug there and the level of demand for it.

“The Australian market is the golden goose for crystal meth because of the high prices for the product over there,” said a senior security source.

“It is also the hardest market to get into due to its geographic location, so it’s the most lucrative if you can reach it.” 

Authorities suspect the crystal meth was shipped to Ireland by Mexican drug cartels — the notorious Sinaloa cartel being the main suspect — for onward transportation.

The two men in Kerry, both aged in their 40s, were arrested after gardaí conducted a major search operation at a well-known retail outlet in the county.

The suspects had their period of detention extended by 72 hours on Saturday night, on application to the court.

They are being detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allows for a maximum period of detention of seven days, with extensions requiring the authorisation of the courts.

Tight security surrounded their appearance on Saturday night, with large numbers of gardaí present as the men were brought before the court.

The men arrived separately in Garda vans. Their arrival was some time apart and a cordon of gardaí surrounded the courthouse involved.

The men were brought in and led from the court separately and some minutes apart from each other.

The investigation is being led by the Kerry Divisional Drugs Unit, with the assistance of detective units in Cork City and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

Senior officers are in regular dialogue with the Director of Public Prosecutions about the possibility of bringing charges.

If the DPP directs not to bring charges, the men will be released on Friday pending the compilation of a full file for the DPP for further consideration.