Ireland Case No. 18181Drug supply
Man arrested after €700k cash seized in drug supply investigation
Gardaí seized 546kg of a synthetic drug at the Port of Cork on the morning of 16 February 2024, estimated at €32.8 million to just under €33 million and believed to be crystal meth, pending forensic testing. Two Irish men in their 40s were arrested in Kerry that Friday and are held under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. Their detention was extended by 72 hours at a special sitting in Killarney on 17 February and by a further 48 hours at Tralee District Court on 21 February, which permits questioning until mid-morning Friday with no further extension. Neither man has been charged, and gardaí are continuing to question them.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested16 Feb
7 reports - Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Gardaí seized 546kg of a synthetic drug with an estimated value of €32.8 million, described as just under €33 million.
- The drug is believed to be crystal meth, though sources also said it may include drugs with similar stimulant effects, and a forensic examination will confirm the exact drug.
- When
- The seizure was made in a search at Cork Port on the morning of 16 February 2024.
- Where
- The drugs were found in a shipping container at the Port of Cork during searches with another State agency.
- Searches were concentrated in areas northeast and east of Tralee and in parts of County Cork, and a premises in Waterford connected to one of the men was also searched.
- Cause
- Customs officers found the drugs while working with specialist gardaí.
- Other details
- Sources said the drugs were believed to be shipped through Ireland by a drug cartel en route to Australia, while another account linked the shipment to a South American cartel with sea transport from South America.
- Two Irish men in their 40s were arrested in Kerry on Friday 16 February 2024 and are suspected of assisting and facilitating the transshipment of the drugs.
- Reporting restrictions prevent the men from being identified, and a solicitor for one man formally objected to the detention.
- Weapon
- Two firearms were seized during follow-up searches in Kerry and Cork.
- Investigation
- The Kerry Divisional Drugs Unit, Cork gardaí and a number of garda units are involved, with Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau detectives leading questioning, and the investigation focuses on the importation of drugs into the State.
- In court
- Detention was extended by 72 hours at a special sitting in Killarney on 17 February, then by a further 48 hours at Tralee District Court on 21 February, with Judge David Waters satisfied the investigation was being conducted diligently and expeditiously.
- Charges
- Neither man has been charged, and they must be charged or released by the end of the current detention period.
67 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe seizure was 546kg of a synthetic drug with an estimated value of €32.8 million. (thejournal.ie)
- whatSources said the shipment may include crystal meth or drugs with similar stimulant effects. (thejournal.ie)
- whatTwo men were arrested. (extra.ie)
- whatThe arrests followed a large drug seizure. (extra.ie)
- whatTwo men were arrested in connection with a €32.8 million drugs find in Cork. (rte.ie)
- whatGardaí seized 546kg of synthetic drugs at the Port of Cork. (rte.ie)
- whatThe seized drugs have an estimated street value of just under €33 million. (rte.ie)
- whatThe drugs are believed to be crystal meth. (rte.ie)
- whatDrugs worth €32.8 million, believed to be crystal meth, were seized. (thejournal.ie)
- whatGardaí seized almost €33 million worth of synthetic drugs at the Port of Cork. (rte.ie)
- whatThe seizure totalled 546kg with an estimated street value of just under €33 million. (rte.ie)
- whatGardaí seized an estimated €32.8 million worth of a synthetic drug. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe seizure was made at Port of Cork during searches with another State agency. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe searches were centred around towns in Kerry and areas of County Cork. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe seizure took place at Cork Port. (extra.ie)
- whereGardaí seized 546kg of a drug, believed to be crystal meth, at the port of Cork. (rte.ie)
- whereTwo men in their 40s were arrested in Kerry on Friday. (rte.ie)
- whereThe searches are concentrated in an area northeast and east of Tralee. (rte.ie)
- whereThe drugs were found in a shipping container at the Port of Cork. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe drug was found in a container in the Port of Cork. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe men were brought before an early sitting of Tralee District Court. (thejournal.ie)
- whenGardaí made the seizure in a search at Cork Port on the morning of 16 February 2024. (thejournal.ie)
- whenSearches began early on the morning of 16 February 2024. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe existing detention was due to expire at 10.30am on Sunday. (rte.ie)
- whenThe seizure took place on the Friday before the article was published. (rte.ie)
- investigationA forensic examination will determine the exact drug. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe garda operation involved the Kerry Divisional Drugs Unit, Cork and a number of Garda units. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationFollow-up searches in Kerry and Cork led to the arrests of two men and the seizure of two firearms. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe garda operation is focused on the importation of drugs into the State. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe judge was satisfied the investigation was being conducted in a diligent and expeditious manner. (rte.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is ongoing. (rte.ie)
- investigationGardaí are continuing to question the two men. (rte.ie)
- investigationSearches over the weekend, assisted by army personnel, covered premises and land. (rte.ie)
- investigationGardaí also searched a premises in Waterford, connected to one of the detained men. (rte.ie)
- investigationCustoms officers found the drugs while working with specialist gardaí, who arrested two Irish men. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationDetectives from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau are leading questioning of the men, backed by gardaí in Cork and Kerry. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationSearches in Cork and Kerry led gardaí to an address in Waterford allegedly linked to one of the men. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationSources say no lab was found in Ireland where the drugs were manufactured. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe two men can be held for a maximum of seven days before being charged or released. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationTwo men were arrested in Kerry as part of the investigation. (rte.ie)
- investigationTwo men were arrested in connection with the seizure. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe men are held under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007, which deals with allegations associated with organised crime. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeThe men have not been charged. (rte.ie)
- courtThe detention of both men was extended by 72 hours at a special sitting of the District Court in Kerry. (rte.ie)
- courtReporting restrictions were imposed to prevent identification of the men. (rte.ie)
- courtThe solicitor for one of the men formally objected to the detention. (rte.ie)
- courtGardaí were granted a further 72 hours to question the two men at a special district court sitting in Killarney. (rte.ie)
- courtThe men's detention now runs until Wednesday morning. (rte.ie)
- courtThe two men were brought before an early-morning sitting of the district court in Tralee under armed security. (rte.ie)
- courtThe men are being detained under legislation enacted to tackle organised crime. (rte.ie)
- courtThe court granted a further 48 hours to question the two men. (rte.ie)
- courtJudge David Waters said the garda investigation was being conducted diligently and expeditiously. (rte.ie)
- courtThe men can be detained until mid-morning on Friday. (rte.ie)
- courtChief Superintendent Padraic Powell applied for a further 48 hours of detention for the men. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe judge granted both extensions of detention. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe judge placed restrictions on identifying the two individuals. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceThe men can be detained until mid-morning Friday, with no further periods of detention allowed. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe two men are detained at Garda stations in the Southern Region under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe two men are in their 40s. (rte.ie)
- otherThe men are held at a garda station in the southern region under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. (rte.ie)
- otherThe drugs were believed to be shipped through Ireland by a Mexican drug cartel en route to Australia. (rte.ie)
- otherThe two men are suspected of having assisted and facilitated the transshipment of the drugs. (rte.ie)
- otherThe drugs were shipped into the country by sea, apparently from South America. (thejournal.ie)
- otherSuspicions are that the shipment is linked to a South American cartel and was intended to be sent on to Australia. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe two men cannot be named following an order by Judge David Waters. (rte.ie)
- otherThe men can be charged or released at any point before then. (rte.ie)
- otherThe men must be charged or released at the end of that detention period. (thejournal.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 21 Feb2024Heavy garda presence as men appear in court in connection with €32.8 million drugs seizure
First report of this case in the list. Covers the detention extension hearing at Tralee District Court, held under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007. No charges had been brought at the time of the article.
suspect, malesuspect, male - 21 Feb2024Further questioning granted over Cork drug seizure
Reports that a Tralee District Court judge granted a further 48-hour detention for two men arrested in Kerry over the Port of Cork drug seizure, which had an estimated street value of just under €33 million.
suspect, malesuspect, male - 19 Feb2024Crystal meth seizure: Garda searches branch out into Waterford as two suspects remain in custody
Reports the seizure, the arrest of two Irish men, the DOCB-led questioning, the Waterford search and the suspected Australian destination.
suspect, male, Irish, irishsuspect, male, Irish, irish - 19 Feb2024Premises searched as men questioned over Cork drug haul
Original report of the seizure, the arrests in Kerry, the searches and the extension of detention.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 40s, male - 17 Feb2024Court grants 72-hour extension for €32.8m drug arrests
Reports a court order extending the detention of two men arrested over the seizure of 546kg of suspected crystal meth at the port of Cork.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 40s, male - 16 Feb2024Two Men Arrested Following Large Drug Seizure At Cork Port
Only the headline is usable. The body text is template markup with no details of the seizure, drugs, dates or charges. No existing case matches: Rosslare Europort (Wexford) is a different port.
suspect, malesuspect, male - 16 Feb2024€32.8 million worth of synthetic drugs were seized at Cork Port this morning
First report of the seizure. Adds the drug quantity and value, the suspected drug type pending forensic testing, the arrests and firearms seizure, and the focus on importation into the State.
suspect, 40s, malesuspect, 40s, male