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. 3018Conspiracy to import controlled drugs · Co. Cork

Spanish man loses bail appeal in €60m cocaine smuggling case

Raul Tabares Garcia, a 50-year-old Spanish national, lost his Court of Appeal bail challenge in a case involving the alleged smuggling of 840kg of cocaine worth nearly €60 million into Ireland. He was one of 10 men arrested in west Cork in March 2024, and seven co-accused have already pleaded guilty and been sentenced to a combined 70 years.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court22 May
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
12 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatRaul Tabares Garcia is a 50-year-old Spanish national from Cadiz, Spain (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe was one of 10 men arrested by gardaí in March 2024 (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA jeep, camper van, articulated truck and rigid inflatable boat were seized (irishtimes.com)
  • whatNautical equipment including satellite phones, GPS devices, radios, control panels and wetsuits was found (irishtimes.com)
  • what840kg of cocaine valued at between €58 and €59 million was found washed up in Denmark (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe arrest took place in the villages of Tragumna and Leap near Skibbereen in west Cork (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe ship had passed an area in Denmark in mid-March 2024 (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeGarcia is charged with conspiring to import drugs worth in excess of €13,000 between 27 February and 14 March 2024 (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Alexander Owens at the Court of Appeal refused the bail appeal (irishtimes.com)
  • courtOwens stated the defendant would not attend his trial if granted bail and has no connection with the country (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceSeven co-accused pleaded guilty and received sentences of between seven and 12 years (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGarcia provided an address in Dundalk where his wife was living (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 22 May2026
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Man accused of role in smuggling cocaine worth nearly €60m into Ireland loses bail appeal

    Court of Appeal (Judge Alexander Owens) refused Garcia's bail appeal, agreeing with the High Court (Judge Eileen Creedon) that he is a serious flight risk. Details of the smuggling operation, the 840kg cocaine found in Denmark, and the sentences of seven co-accused are provided.

    accused, Raul Tabares Garcia, 50, male, Spanish, named, non-irishRaul Tabares Garciaaccused, Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz, male, Spanish, named, non-irishMario Angel Del Rio Sanzaccused, Anuar Rahui Chairi, male, Spanish, named, non-irishAnuar Rahui Chairiaccused, Aleksandar Milic, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Aleksandar Milicaccused, Kiumaars Ghabiri, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Kiumaars Ghabiriaccused, Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega, male, Spanish, named, non-irishPedro Pablo Ojeda Ortegaaccused, Angel Serran Padilla, male, Spanish, named, non-irishAngel Serran Padilla