Cocaine worth €3m found in banana box at Port of Cork

The drugs were discovered during routine risk profiling in a container of bananas imported from South America

The seizure is part of Revenue’s ongoing efforts to combat illegal drug smuggling. Picture: Revenue

Revenue officers have seized 43kg of cocaine in Cork Port, the biggest haul of the drug there this year.

It was not an intelligence operation, but one based on “risk profiling”, where officers examine data analysis of risks, such as country of departure, trade routes, or import of certain goods.

In yesterday’s seizure, the drugs were found “in a container of bananas” coming from South America.

Cork has direct trade with South America and seizures of cocaine have previously been hidden in bananas. Cork Port was the location of the colossal 564kg haul of crystal meth last February.

However, most major cocaine hauls have been at the other major ports: 36kg at Rosslare on October 11; 30kg at Rosslare on October 10; 150kg at Dublin Port on August 13, and 104kg at Rosslare on August 8.

The last three of those hauls were intelligence operations with gardaí.