Ireland Four arrested after drugs worth €31m seized in Co Cork
Gardaí stopped a van in the Courtmacsherry area of Co Cork on the morning of the seizure, the incident date given as 1 July 2025, and found suspected cocaine. Two men in their 30s and 40s were arrested and detained at a garda station. Two other men in their 30s and 40s left Broad Strand in Courtmacsherry on a rigid inflatable boat, were intercepted at sea by Naval Service boats after Revenue detained the boat, and were arrested by gardaí after being returned to Haulbowline Naval Base. The drugs were valued at over €31 million, though Simon Harris later put the cocaine seized off Cork at around €35 million. The latest development reported is that investigations are ongoing.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested1 Jul
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Four men were arrested in connection with the seizure of drugs in Co Cork.
- Two men in their 30s and 40s were arrested and detained at a garda station in Co Cork after the van stop.
- Two other men in their 30s and 40s were arrested by gardaí after being detained at sea.
- Where
- Suspected cocaine was found after a van was stopped in the Courtmacsherry area of Co Cork.
- The two men at sea departed from Broad Strand in Courtmacsherry on a rigid inflatable boat and were detained off the Co Cork coast.
- When
- The van was stopped on the morning of the seizure, with the incident date given as 1 July 2025 and the RTÉ report dated 2 July 2025.
- Cause
- Naval Service rigid-hulled inflatable boats from the LÉ William Butler Yeats intercepted the suspect boat, with support from a maritime patrol aircraft, after Revenue detained it.
- Other details
- The two men at sea were taken aboard the LÉ William Butler Yeats and arrested by gardaí after being returned to Haulbowline Naval Base.
- The drugs were valued at over €31 million, while Simon Harris later said around €35 million worth of cocaine was seized off Cork.
- Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan praised cooperation between gardaí, the Defence Forces and Revenue.
- Investigation
- Investigations are ongoing.
12 statements extracted from the articles
- whatFour men were arrested in connection with the seizure of drugs worth over €31 million in Co Cork. (rte.ie)
- whatTwo men aged in their 30s and 40s were arrested and detained at a garda station in Co Cork. (rte.ie)
- whatThe two men were arrested by gardaí after being returned to Haulbowline Naval Base. (rte.ie)
- whereSuspected cocaine was found after a van was stopped in the Courtmacsherry area. (rte.ie)
- whereTwo other men were detained at sea on a boat off the Co Cork coast. (rte.ie)
- whereThe two men departed from Broad Strand in Courtmacsherry on a rigid inflatable boat. (rte.ie)
- whenThe van was stopped on the morning of the seizure. (rte.ie)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (rte.ie)
- otherNaval Service rigid-hulled inflatable boats from the LÉ William Butler Yeats intercepted the suspect boat. (rte.ie)
- otherThe two men were taken on board the LÉ William Butler Yeats after Revenue detained the suspect boat. (rte.ie)
- otherMinister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan praised cooperation between gardaí, the Defence Forces and Revenue. (rte.ie)
- otherSimon Harris said around €35 million worth of cocaine was seized off the coast of Cork. (rte.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 1 Jul2025Four arrested after drugs worth €31m seized in Co Cork
Reports the arrest of four men over a cocaine seizure in Courtmacsherry and at sea off Cork. Gives a value of over €31m, while a later statement by Simon Harris gives around €35m. The article gives 2 July 2025 as its publication date but says the seizure was 'this morning', and a tweet dated 1 July refers to the same seizure.
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