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Chris McNulty, 22 Jul
A huge consignment of cocaine, over €4 million worth of which has
washed up on the Donegal coast, may have been dumped off a large vessel
that was heading for Europe.
Large parcels of cocaine, weighing around 60kg and valued in excess of
€4 million, were located off the Donegal coast this week, prompting a
major investigation.
The packages, wrapped in black plastic and bound with ropes, washed up
at Ballyheirnan Beach in Fanad and Tramore Beach in Fanad on Wednesday.
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Foyle MLA expresses concern as Emergency Departments reach breaking
point
Concentrated searches have been conducted along the north Donegal coast
while a fishing vessel was impounded at Magheroarty on Thursday as part
of the investigation.
Investigators believe the packages came from a large batch that was
affixed to a buoy in the water. Officers are now attempting to
determine the source of and planned destination for the drugs.
“The entire Atlantic is the route by which cocaine comes from South
America,” said Michael O’Sullivan, a former Assistant Garda
Commissioner who worked as the head of the EU’s anti-drugs smuggling
agency, MAOC-N, before retiring.
He said the find represented a 'very costly expense' for drug smugglers
and dealers, who have now lost a significant stash.
“Depending on law enforcement and naval activity will determine on the
route the vessels would take. On occasion they pass the west coast of
Ireland - sometimes, they have landed on the west coast of Ireland - go
around Scotland and come the east side of the UK.
“It depends on the operation, the cartel and the load. It depends on
law enforcement activity - basically, where is the line of least
resistance?”
A major multi-agency probe is continuing into the find.
[230719_-_Drugs_find_06_(2)_Cropped-1689948951378.jpg]
One of the packages washed up on the Donegal coast. (North West
Newspix)
Gardaí in Milford with the assistance of the Garda Air Support Unit and
the Garda Water Unit, along with Revenue's Maritime Unit continue to
carry out an investigation along the North Donegal/ Fanad Head
coastline.
An operation on Thursday centred on a boat docked at Magheroarty Pier.
Scenes of crime Gardai, Coast Guard and Revenue officials conducted a
search of the vessel.
The boat, a Cleopatra 38, is understood to have been advertised for
sale recently.
It does not appear as if the boat’s radar was operating in recent
weeks, however.
The drugs were packed into bales, encased in black plastic wrapping.
One eye-witness said one of the packages was ‘the size of a suitcase’.
Gardai are believed to have been monitoring the potential trafficking
of illegal drugs into the county in recent days with investigating
officers said to have been trained on marine vessels in the Atlantic
Ocean.
Gardai believe the packages were discarded from one such vessel.
Mr O’Sullivan said: “A lot of it is to do with the mothership. Say, if
a large container ship is heading to Scotland or Northern Ireland or
the west coast of Ireland, they may put the drugs on that.
[230719_-_Drugs_find_02-1689949002634.jpg]
Gardai at Tramore Beach, where one of the parcels was found. (North
West Newspix)
“What normally happens is that they will load the drugs on a very large
vessel - maybe one carrying cars - and somewhere in the Atlantic they
will offload it to a smaller vessel, a daughter vessel, possibly a
fishing vessel. That is where it gets dangerous. Very often, they have
to drop it without cables.
“Bad weather, under pressure, hoping they aren’t discovered and the
mother ship is very anxious to get rid of it.
“It depends on the overall plan, the cartel and the people transporting
it. In the past, they have transported it in semi-submersible
submarines, which have crossed the Atlantic over 22 or 23 days.
“Once they embark on a course, that is the direction they will take.
There are pre-arranged logistics in place. The trans-shipment of the
bales can be very cumbersome. It is a very costly expense to lose that
much pure cocaine while it is being shipped.”
[Lilian_Seenoi_Barr-1689866492106.jpg--joseph_rowntree_trust_digs_deep_
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Joseph Rowntree Trust digs deep for Derry's North West Migrants Forum
Given the belief that the washed-up packages were part of a much larger
shipment, investigators say further parcels could be located and have
appealed to the public for their assistance.
A Garda spokesperson said: “Any person who sees any similar package or
any other marine debris that attracts their attention are requested to
not interfere with the packages and to contact An Garda Síochána at
Milford Garda Station on 074 9153060, their local Garda station or the
Garda Confidential line 1800 666 111.
“Members of the public can also contact the Customs Drug Watch
Confidential number 1800 295 295.”