Gardaí liaison officers working with national police services tackling drug importation and exportation

Identities and activities are kept private for operational reasons

As part of its contribution to the war against international drug trafficking, Gardaí have dispatched liaison officers to work with national police services who are tackling drug importation and exportation.

As part of its contribution to the war against international drug trafficking, Gardaí have dispatched liaison officers to work with national police services who are tackling drug importation and exportation.

It is unsurprising that since 2020 one of those Garda liaison officers has been stationed in Colombia, the biggest producer and exporter of cocaine in the world.

In 2022, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the liaison officers have made a “huge difference” particularly around providing intelligence on criminal gangs, trafficking and drugs in the region.

The identities and activities of these liaison officers are kept private, with a garda spokesperson declining to provide information on their work for “operational reasons”.

Therefore on Tánaiste Micheál Martin's visit to Bogotá there were no formal meetings arranged with the liaison officer stationed there - though Gardaí stationed in the region did join Mr Martin’s delegation upon arrival at El Dorado airport for key meetings – including with Defence Minister Iván Velásquez.

The Gardaí are not the only police force who have begun sending over their liaison officers to Colombia, with one source comparing Bogotá to The Hague given the number of international police services stationed there.

Following a visit by Mr Harris to the Colombian capital, Gardaí and the Colombian National Police are close to agreeing a memorandum of understanding on closer co-operation between the two police forces

This proposed agreement would allow the two forces to share more information and intelligence, particularly to focus on transnational terrorism and organised crime gangs.

Mr Martin said he believes agreement on the memorandum is “very close” between the two police forces and the two Governments.

The main target for Gardaí remains the Kinahan Organised Crime Gang (KOCG), which is known to have deep connections with Colombian cartels producing cocaine.

The Tánaiste previously said discussions around drug trafficking and the KOHG would play a part in his visit to Latin America.

Following the meeting with the Colombian Defence Minister, Mr Martin told the Irish Examiner that the presence of Garda liaison officers in Colombia has been “very effective” at dealing with international drug trafficking.

The potential agreement between the two states is also seen as particularly important, considering the impact of intelligence on dealing with cartels and organised crime.

“Sharing of information, particularly, because drug trafficking is a transnational business here and it can help in terms of interdicting and preventing the landing of drugs and so on in Ireland,” Mr Martin said.

He also said that he is confident the work that the liaison officers are currently doing is having an impact on reducing the flow of cocaine to Ireland.

In recent months, there have been significant seizures, preventing the drug from entering the Irish market.

The biggest was the seizure of the MV Matthew – a cargo ship that flew under the Panama flag – and contained thousands of kilos of cocaine, the largest in the history of the State.

The Government will be hoping that the presence of these Garda liaison officers will be instrumental in further seizures off the coast, particularly as more information can be provide to Gardaí in Ireland by Colombian authorities.