Ireland Man charged over cocaine trawler grounding off Co Wexford
A fishing trawler, the Castlemore, carrying a suspected consignment of cocaine estimated at €140 million ran aground about 8km off the coast of Blackwater, Co Wexford, late on Sunday night in September 2023. Two men were winched from the vessel to a Naval Service ship and arrested, and five further people were arrested during the joint task force search operation. The trawler was believed to have departed from Castletownbere, Co Cork, and was being monitored by the navy and the Garda National Drug and Organised Crime Bureau before it struck a sandbank. Multiple bales of suspected cocaine were reported floating in the sea, but none had been recovered as of Monday night. As of 1 October 2023, one man is charged and due before Wexford District Court on 2 October, while four others remain in Garda custody.
- Reported26 Sep
- Arrested25 Sep
3 reports - Charged1 Oct
- In court26 Sep
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A fishing trawler, the Castlemore, carrying a suspected consignment of cocaine estimated at €140 million ran aground off the coast of Blackwater, Co Wexford.
- Where
- The vessel struck a sandbank about 8km off the coast and was believed to have departed from Castletownbere, Co Cork.
- When
- The trawler ran aground late on Sunday night, and the joint task force operation took place on 26 September 2023.
- Cause
- The trawler hit a sandbank causing a hole in the ship, and poor weather made the rescue and search operations difficult.
- Investigation
- The vessel was being monitored by the navy and the Garda National Drug and Organised Crime Bureau before it ran aground.
- Seven people were arrested in connection with the investigation, including two men winched from the vessel to a Naval Service ship.
- Multiple bales of suspected cocaine were reported floating in the sea, but none had been recovered as of Monday night.
- Charges
- Two men were charged and due before Waterford District Court on 29 September 2023, and a further man was charged and due before Wexford District Court on 2 October 2023 at 10:30am.
- Other details
- The two men initially arrested were understood to be foreign nationals with little English.
- Four other arrested individuals remain in Garda custody as of 1 October 2023.
42 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA boat gardaí believe was carrying a large consignment of cocaine ran aground off Co Wexford. (irishtimes.com)
- whatTwo men on the boat were winched to safety and taken to a Naval Service vessel. (irishtimes.com)
- whatA large boat with cocaine ran aground. (extra.ie)
- whatTwo men were arrested after a fishing trawler with an estimated €140 million of suspected cocaine ran aground in Co Wexford. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatMultiple bales of suspected cocaine were understood to be floating in the sea. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe trawler was believed to have departed from Castletownbere. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe trawler Castlemore ran aground off the Wexford coast with a suspected consignment of cocaine. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe vessel got into difficulty near Blackwater, Co Wexford. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe trawler had been in Irish waters for some time and had docked in Co Cork at one point. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident is on the Wexford shore. (extra.ie)
- whereThe trawler hit a sandbank off the coast of Blackwater, causing a hole in the ship. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe trawler was about 8km off the coast. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe operation was a joint task force operation at sea. (garda.ie)
- whenThe vessel got into difficulty late on Sunday night. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe ship is believed to have run aground at 11:30pm on Sunday. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe search activity began early on Monday morning. (irishtimes.com)
- whenA Curracloe resident saw air traffic from as early as 12.30am on Sunday. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe operation took place on 26 September 2023. (garda.ie)
- causePoor weather made the rescue operation difficult. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA number of people rescued from the water were arrested and questioned at a Co Wexford Garda station. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationChecks to determine the exact cargo were frustrated by bad weather. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationDefence Forces personnel remained involved in the search for cargo on Monday. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationTwo people were arrested. (extra.ie)
- investigationTwo males were arrested in connection with the investigation. (garda.ie)
- investigationFive other arrested individuals remain in Garda custody. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe vessel was being monitored by the navy and Garda National Drug and Organised Crime Bureau officers. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe two men were plucked from the trawler deck and taken onto a naval vessel, where naval and garda officers were waiting. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe two men were understood to have been arrested when they reached the naval vessel. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe State's emergency services searched on water and from the air for debris or cargo, including possible bales of drugs. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí appealed to landowners and walkers not to interfere with parcels or anything suspicious. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationSecurity services were trying to board the fishing vessel before Storm Agnes arrived. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA male was arrested in connection with the investigation. (garda.ie)
- chargeThe two males are to be charged in connection with the case. (garda.ie)
- chargeThe male has been charged in connection with the case. (garda.ie)
- courtTwo males are expected to appear before Waterford District Court at 6:45pm on Friday 29 September 2023. (garda.ie)
- courtThe male is expected to appear before Wexford District Court on Monday 2 October 2023 at 10.30am. (garda.ie)
- otherFears were raised that drugs may wash up on the shore. (extra.ie)
- otherThe update was issued on 29 September 2023. (garda.ie)
- otherIt was not believed that any of the bales had been recovered as of Monday night. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe two men were understood to be foreign nationals with little English and were being questioned at a Garda station in Wexford. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherBy Tuesday afternoon the beach and coastline had returned to normal. (irishtimes.com)
- otherFour other arrested individuals remain in Garda custody. (garda.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 1 Oct2023Update (6) Court Appearance - Joint Task Force Co-ordinated Operation at Sea, 26th September 2023
Garda update (6) giving the court date at Wexford District Court for one charged male and noting that four other arrested people remain in custody. The article does not name the offence, the location or the people involved.
accused, male - 26 Sep2023‘An unprecedented day for the village’ - Wexford locals witness unusual air activity in drugs search
Adds the vessel name (Castlemore), its position about 8km off the coast, the air and sea search for drugs or debris, gardaí's appeal to walkers, and the attempt to board the trawler. The article reports no arrests or charges.
- 26 Sep2023Two arrested after trawler with €140m worth of suspected cocaine runs aground
Reports that the trawler ran aground on Sunday night, that the two men were winched onto a naval vessel and arrested, that bales of suspected cocaine may be floating in the sea, and that the men are being questioned at a Garda station in Wexford.
suspect, malesuspect, male - 26 Sep2023Update (3) Court Appearance - Joint Task Force Co-ordinated Operation at Sea, 26th September 2023
Garda update (3) says two males arrested in the investigation are expected to appear before Waterford District Court at 6:45pm on 29 September 2023 and be charged. The five other arrested individuals remain in Garda custody. The article does not name the county or any person.
accused, maleaccused, malesuspectsuspectsuspectsuspectsuspect - 26 Sep2023Fears Drugs May Wash Up On Wexford Shore After Two Arrested As Large Boat With Cocaine Runs Aground
The article body contains only template code, so the only usable text is the headline. No names, ages, nationalities or dates are given beyond the publication date.
suspectsuspect - 25 Sep2023Boat suspected of carrying large amount of cocaine runs aground in Co Wexford
First report of the incident. Adds the grounding, the rescue of two men by helicopter, the arrests of people rescued from the water, and the trawler's recent movements along the south coast.
suspect