Four arrests and cocaine worth 31m euro seized off Cork in major joint operation

Four men have been arrested and cocaine worth more than 31 million euro has been seized following a major inter-agency operation.

The cocaine was seized by Revenue after the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime bureaus stopped a van in the Courtmacsherry area of Co Cork on Tuesday morning.

Two men aged in their 30s and 40s travelling in the van were arrested and detained at a garda station in Co Cork under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007.

Elsewhere, the Irish Naval ship the LE William Butler Yeats responded to the departure of a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) from Broadstrand, Courtmacsherry.

The LE William Butler Yeats had been on patrol in the area as part of the Joint Task Force operation.

Maritime patrol aircraft from the Irish Air Corps provided overhead surveillance during the operation.

Two Naval Service RIBs with members of the armed “maritime interdiction team” were launched from LE William Butler Yeats and intercepted the suspect vessel off the coast of Cork.

The suspect vessel was detained by Revenue Customs Service and the two men were taken on board the LE William Butler Yeats.

The LE William Butler Yeats returned to Haulbowline Naval Base and both men, also aged in their 30s and 40s, were arrested by gardai and detained at a Garda Station in Co Cork under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007.

Tanaiste Simon Harris congratulated all those involved in the operation, saying the cocaine was seized “off the coast of Cork”.

Mr Harris, who is Minister for Defence, said the joint effort of Revenue, Garda, the Department of Defence, the Naval Service and the Air Corps was a “real example of what can be achieved when these agencies are working together”.

He added: “Congratulations to everybody involved, and we need to continue to see that joint effort.”

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said it was a “major” seizure involving “excellent co-operation” from the state agencies.