MV Matthew: How crime gang's ill-prepared crew fell afoul of Ireland's largest cocaine seizure

A poorly-prepared and desperate crew were directed from afar by a sophisticated international crime gang, writes Liz Dunphy

Alerted by media reports, people gathered on headlands at the mouth of Cork Harbour to see the seized MV Matthew being escorted ashore on September 26, 2023. It later turned out to be the largest cocaine seizure in the history of the State. File picture: Dan Linehan

When six men were interviewed from Dubai for jobs by a major drug cartel masquerading as a flash shipping company, they grabbed the lucrative contracts.

They then flew to South America and boarded a very large and somewhat rusty bulk cargo ship, empty of cargo, in Curaçao, off the coast of Venezuela.