Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 1546Possession of cocaine for sale or supply · Co. Cork · 26 Sep 2023

Eight men face sentencing for €157 million cocaine seizure on MV Matthew

Eight men – three Ukrainians (Mykhailo Gavryk, 32; Vitaliy Vlasoi, 33; Vitaliy Lapa, 62), two Iranians (Soheil Jelveh, 52; Saeid Hassani, 39), a Filipino (Harold Estoesta, 31), a Dutchman (Cumali Ozgen, 50) and a 31-year-old man (Jamie Harbron) – pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply. The charge followed the seizure of 2.2 tonnes (reported as 2.25 tonnes) of cocaine worth €157 million from the MV Matthew in Irish territorial waters on 26 September 2023. The ship, which had departed from Curacao off the Venezuelan coast, was intercepted by the Naval Service and boarded by Army rangers who extinguished a fire the crew had set to destroy the drugs, after a Dubai-based criminal organisation directed the crew to evade capture and head for Sierra Leone. The sentencing hearing before the Special Criminal Court was still ongoing as of June 2025.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court3 Jun
  5. Convicted5 Jun
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • 2.2 tonnes (reported as 2.25 tonnes) of cocaine worth €157 million was on board the MV Matthew.
  • The crew set fire to the cocaine to destroy it, but Army rangers boarded the ship and extinguished the fire.
  • A Dubai-based criminal organisation directed the crew to evade law enforcement and head for Sierra Leone.
  • The original plan was to transfer the drugs to a second ship, The Castlemore, which missed the connection and ran aground near the Wexford coast on 24 September 2023.
  • The Naval Service commander fired three warning shots at the MV Matthew before Army rangers boarded using rope ladders.
Where
The MV Matthew departed from Curacao, off the Venezuelan coast, and was intercepted in Irish territorial waters before being steered to Cork harbour.
When
The Naval Service vessel LE William Butler Yeats intercepted the MV Matthew at 4:52am on 26 September 2023.
Charges
Eight men pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply.
In court
The sentencing hearing before the Special Criminal Court, a three-judge non-jury court, was ongoing as of June 2025.
Other details
  • The MV Matthew was sailing under the flag of Panama but was owned by a Dubai-based company called Symphony Marine.
  • More than €45,500 in cash was found in the captain's suitcases on the MV Matthew.
  • Saeid Hassani's age is given as 39 in the facts, though some reports state 40.
30 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatIrish Army rangers boarded the MV Matthew in treacherous weather while the crew manoeuvred to evade capture. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe rangers prevented 2.25 tonnes of cocaine on board from being destroyed by fire. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatAn organised crime group in Dubai instructed the crew of the ship as it attempted to evade law enforcement. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDespite repeated warnings from the Irish Naval Service including warning shots, the person overseeing the operation told the crew to keep going and head for Sierra Leone. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe original plan was for the MV Matthew to deliver the drugs to a second ship called The Castlemore. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatRough seas and technical difficulties caused The Castlemore to miss the connection and it later ran aground. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe MV Matthew was sailing under the flag of Panama but was owned by a Dubai-based company known as Symphony Marine. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe ship picked up the drugs at sea using a crane to lift heavy bales from one vessel to the other. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDet Halley said the instruction to prepare for fire was a clear instruction to destroy all the drugs. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatWhen the Army helicopter appeared, the MV Matthew began to manoeuvre to prevent the rangers from boarding, making it almost impossible for the helicopter to position for a safe boarding. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe Army rangers boarded safely, saw the fire and put it out. (irishtimes.com)
  • what2.2 tonnes of cocaine worth €157 million was on board the MV Matthew (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe Naval Service commander fired three warning shots at the MV Matthew (irishtimes.com)
  • whatArmy rangers boarded the MV Matthew using rope ladders (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe rangers extinguished the fire on the cocaine, preserving it for evidence (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA ranger who was an experienced seaman steered the MV Matthew to Cork harbour (irishtimes.com)
  • whatMore than $52,000 (€45,500) in cash was found in the MV Matthew captain's suitcases (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe cargo was loaded onto the MV Matthew from another boat by crane while crew were plied with alcohol (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe crew of the boat that loaded the cargo were armed with guns (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe vessel departed from Curacao, off the Venezuelan coast, and sailed across the Atlantic before arriving in Irish territorial waters. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe MV Matthew left Venezuela in early September 2023 (irishtimes.com)
  • whenOn the afternoon of 26 September 2023, the ship appeared to be heading for the open sea and a Naval Service commander took over the operation. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe Castlemore ran aground near the Wexford coast on 24 September 2023 (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe Naval Service vessel LE William Butler Yeats intercepted the MV Matthew at 4:52am on 26 September 2023 (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe operation was part of a transnational effort targeting international criminal organisations (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeEight men pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply (irishtimes.com)
  • courtEight people appeared before a three-judge non-jury court for a sentencing hearing after previously pleading guilty. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe sentencing hearing was still ongoing at the time of reporting. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA Dubai-based criminal referred to as Captain Noah directed the operation (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe Dubai organisation ordered the crew to put the drugs in a lifeboat, set them on fire, and head for Sierra Leone (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 5 Jun2025
    Convictedirishtimes.com, first report
    ‘Go like f**k mate’: How the MV Matthew ship and a €157 million drugs haul was seized

    Detailed evidence from the sentencing hearing describes how the MV Matthew was intercepted by the Naval Service and boarded by Army rangers, the role of a Dubai-based criminal organisation directing the operation, and the failed attempt to burn the cocaine before it was seized.

    accused, Mykhailo Gavryk, 32, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishMykhailo Gavrykaccused, Vitaliy Vlasoi, 33, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Vlasoiaccused, Soheil Jelveh, 52, male, Iranian, named, non-irishSoheil Jelvehaccused, Saeid Hassani, 40, male, Iranian, named, non-irishSaeid Hassaniaccused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoestaaccused, Cumali Ozgen, 50, male, Dutch, named, non-irishCumali Ozgenaccused, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapaaccused, Jamie Harbron, 31, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Jamie Harbron
  2. 3 Jun2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Irish Army rangers risked their lives in boarding cargo ship carrying cocaine, court hears

    Evidence at the ongoing sentencing hearing detailed the MV Matthew's spoofing technique, the Dubai-based Symphony Marine ownership, the crew's attempt to destroy the cocaine by fire, and the Army rangers' difficult boarding in treacherous weather.

    suspect, Mykhailo Gavryk, 32, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishMykhailo Gavryksuspect, Vitaliy Vlasoi, 33, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Vlasoisuspect, Soheil Jelveh, 52, male, Iranian, named, non-irishSoheil Jelvehsuspect, Saeid Hassani, 39, male, Iranian, named, non-irishSaeid Hassanisuspect, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoestasuspect, Cumali Ozgen, 50, male, Dutch, named, non-irishCumali Ozgensuspect, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapasuspect, Jamie Harbron, 31, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Jamie Harbron