Ireland Case No. 14886Drug trafficking · Co. Clare
Two men charged after arrests on cargo vessel in Shannon Estuary over alleged drug trafficking
Gardaí and Revenue Customs Service officers are investigating an alleged international drug trafficking scheme linked to a suspected 'mothership' off the Kerry coast. Four men aged 30, 31, 39 and 45 were arrested at Meenogahane, Co Kerry, early on Monday 13 January 2025, and a 28-year-old man was later arrested on the cargo vessel Royal in the Shannon Estuary, Co Clare. Five men had already been charged and appeared before the District Court when two more men, in their 30s and 40s, were arrested on a cargo vessel in the estuary on 18 January 2025. Those two men have now been charged with facilitating or enhancing a criminal organisation under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, and they are due before Tralee District Court on 20 January 2025.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested15 Jan
6 reports - Charged20 Jan
- In court14 Jan
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Gardaí and Revenue Customs Service officers are investigating an alleged international drug trafficking scheme linked to a suspected 'mothership' off the Kerry coast.
- When
- Four men were arrested early on Monday 13 January 2025, and the Kerry arrests are reported to have been at 5.20am.
- Two more men, aged in their 30s and 40s, were arrested on the cargo vessel in the Shannon Estuary on 18 January 2025.
- Where
- The four men were arrested at Meenogahane, near Ballyheigue in north Kerry, and held at Tralee and Killarney Garda stations.
- Other details
- The four arrested men are aged 30, 31, 39 and 45 and have addresses in Derry, Glasgow and Manchester.
- The Royal sailed from Brazil carrying a legitimate cargo for Aughinish, Co Limerick, and the investigation is ongoing.
- Investigation
- A 28-year-old man was arrested on the cargo vessel Royal, at anchor in the Shannon Estuary near Loop Head and Carrigaholt, and sources differ on whether the ship was boarded on Wednesday 15 January or on Thursday 16 January.
- No controlled drugs have been seized to date, but night vision equipment, satellite navigation equipment and several encrypted mobile phones were seized.
- Gardaí are making international enquiries involving Interpol, Europol and a maritime drugs unit, and Gardaí believe the cargo ship was not aware of the movement of the drugs.
- In court
- The four Kerry men's detention was extended at a special sitting of Killarney District Court, which was told no drugs had been found.
- Charges
- The men were arrested on suspicion of facilitating or enhancing a criminal organisation to commit a serious offence under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.
- Two men arrested on the cargo vessel have been charged, and they are to appear before Tralee District Court at 10.30am on 20 January 2025.
- Sentence
- Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 allows detention for a maximum of seven days.
- Cause
- Gardaí believe a load of drugs was dropped into the sea from a cargo ship and is somewhere off the Kerry coast, after a rigid hull inflatable boat sent to collect it could not find the shipment.
101 statements extracted from the articles
- whatGardaí arrested four men over an alleged international drug smuggling operation. (thejournal.ie)
- whatA fifth person was arrested in the investigation into suspected drug importation from a 'mothership' off the Kerry coast. (rte.ie)
- whatFive men were arrested as part of a joint Garda-Revenue investigation. (limerickpost.ie)
- whatThe arrests relate to an alleged international drug trafficking scheme off the coast of Kerry. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe men are held in Tralee and Killarney Garda stations. (rte.ie)
- whereOne RIB was taken to Meenogahane Pier in north Kerry on Sunday. (rte.ie)
- whereThe alleged smuggling operation is in Kerry. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe men were arrested at Meenogahane, Co Kerry. (thejournal.ie)
- whereGardaí and customs officers boarded a cargo ship at anchor in the Shannon estuary. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe ship is inside the estuary near Loop Head and Carrigaholt. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe man was detained at a Garda station in Co Clare under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe four men were being detained at Garda stations in Co Kerry. (thejournal.ie)
- whereFour men were arrested on Monday at an isolated pier at Meenogahane near Ballyheigue in North Kerry. (rte.ie)
- whereGardaí and Defence Forces were conducting search operations around the Limerick–Clare border. (limerickpost.ie)
- whereA large contingent of Gardaí and Defence Forces personnel was deployed to Meelick, County Clare. (limerickpost.ie)
- whereFour other men were detained at a Garda station in County Kerry. (limerickpost.ie)
- whereFour men were arrested by Gardaí at Meenogahane, County Kerry. (limerickpost.ie)
- whereThe fifth man was detained on board a cargo ship sailing on the Shannon Estuary on Wednesday. (limerickpost.ie)
- whereThe suspected transfer took place at a stretch of water off the Kerry coast early on Monday morning, January 13. (limerickpost.ie)
- whereThe two men were arrested on a cargo vessel at anchor in the Shannon Estuary. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe ship was inside the estuary near Loop Head and Carrigaholt. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe men were arrested on a cargo vessel anchored in the Shannon Estuary. (thejournal.ie)
- whenFour men were arrested early on Monday. (rte.ie)
- whenThe men were arrested at 5.20am on Monday. (rte.ie)
- whenThe four men were arrested on Monday morning. (thejournal.ie)
- whenA 28-year-old man was arrested on board the cargo ship. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe four men were arrested at Meenogahane, Co Kerry, on 13 January 2025. (thejournal.ie)
- whenA man was arrested off a cargo vessel on the Shannon Estuary on 15 January. (limerickpost.ie)
- whenThe Kerry arrests related to suspected assistance to an organised crime group at Meenoghane, County Kerry, on January 13. (limerickpost.ie)
- whenThe four men were arrested in the early hours of Monday. (limerickpost.ie)
- whenOn Wednesday, gardaí and Revenue Customs Service investigators boarded a ship and carried out a search. (thejournal.ie)
- whenTwo men were arrested on the morning of 18 January 2025. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe arrests took place on 18 January 2025. (thejournal.ie)
- causeThe drugs are suspected to have been dropped in the sea from a cargo ship. (thejournal.ie)
- causeGardaí believe drugs were moved from a large vessel to a smaller boat off the Kerry coast. (limerickpost.ie)
- causeGardaí believe a load of drugs is off the coast of Kerry after a RHIB sent to collect it could not find the shipment. (thejournal.ie)
- causeGardaí believe a load of drugs was dropped in the sea from a cargo ship. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGardaí have deployed vast resources in the investigation. (rte.ie)
- investigationNight vision equipment, GPS equipment and seven mobile phones were recovered from a vehicle. (rte.ie)
- investigationThe mothership has been identified. (rte.ie)
- investigationNo controlled drugs had been seized to date. (rte.ie)
- investigationInternational police organisations are being involved in enquiries. (rte.ie)
- investigationThe four arrested men are detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 at Garda stations in Kerry Division. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGardaí are focused on finding enough evidence to progress to a conspiracy charge. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGardaí and customs officers are investigating an alleged international drug trafficking scheme off Kerry. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe man was arrested under anti-organised crime legislation. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe arrest concerns facilitating or enhancing a criminal organisation to commit a serious offence. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationFour men aged 30, 31, 39 and 45 were arrested on suspicion of facilitating or enhancing a criminal organisation. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGardaí believe the drugs are somewhere off the coast of Kerry. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationA rigid hull inflatable boat sent to collect the drugs could not find the load. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationA 28-year-old man was arrested after Revenue and gardaí boarded and searched a cargo vessel at anchor in the Shannon Estuary. (rte.ie)
- investigationNo drugs were found, but the ship had been identified. (rte.ie)
- investigationDetectives and Revenue officers boarded and searched a cargo vessel on the afternoon of the fifth arrest. (rte.ie)
- investigationThe four men were observed going to sea in a rib from the pier and were arrested when they returned at 5.20am. (rte.ie)
- investigationGardaí seized night vision and satellite navigation equipment and several encrypted mobile phones. (rte.ie)
- investigationGardaí are making international enquiries involving Interpol, Europol, a Portuguese maritime drugs unit and other forces to confirm the men's identities and roles. (rte.ie)
- investigationThe searches were ongoing and used a digger machine. (limerickpost.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is a joint Garda-Revenue operation involving Revenue Customs Service officers and Gardaí from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. (limerickpost.ie)
- investigationGardaí do not believe the larger vessel was aware of the movement of the drugs. (limerickpost.ie)
- investigationNight vision equipment, satellite navigation tools and encrypted mobile phones were seized from a rib. (limerickpost.ie)
- investigationSeveral boats were searched but no drugs were found. (limerickpost.ie)
- investigationRevenue said the operation commenced on 13 January 2025 and is ongoing. (limerickpost.ie)
- investigationThe arrests were part of a joint operation by the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau and Revenue Customs Service. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGardaí believe a load of drugs is somewhere off the coast of Kerry. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationA rigid hull inflatable boat sent out to collect the drugs could not find the shipment. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGardaí and Revenue Customs Service investigators boarded a ship and carried out a search on Wednesday. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationOne man was arrested after the ship search. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationFive men were already arrested and charged in relation to the investigation and had appeared before the District Court. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeThe men were held on suspicion of assisting a criminal organisation in importing controlled drugs from a mothership off the Kerry coast. (rte.ie)
- chargeThe offence the men were arrested for is under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeThe fifth man was arrested on suspicion of assisting a criminal organisation to import drugs and was detained under drugs trafficking legislation at a Co Clare garda station. (rte.ie)
- chargeThe arrested man was detained on suspicion of facilitating or enhancing a criminal organisation to commit a serious offence. (limerickpost.ie)
- chargeThe men were held on suspicion of facilitating or enhancing a criminal organisation to commit a serious offence. (limerickpost.ie)
- chargeThe men were arrested on suspicion of facilitating or enhancing a criminal organisation to commit a serious offence, under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeThe men were arrested on suspicion of committing an offence under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, facilitating or enhancing a criminal organisation to commit a serious offence. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeTwo men arrested on the cargo vessel have been charged. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe men's detention was extended. (rte.ie)
- courtA special sitting of Killarney District Court was told no drugs had been found. (rte.ie)
- courtThe judge granted the extension, saying the investigation was being conducted diligently. (rte.ie)
- courtGardaí told a special district court sitting in Killarney that they believed drugs had been imported from a 'mothership' off the Kerry coast. (rte.ie)
- courtAn extension to the men's period of detention was granted at a district court sitting. (rte.ie)
- courtGardaí have until late on Friday night to question the men. (rte.ie)
- courtFive men have already been arrested, appeared before the District Court and been charged in relation to the investigation. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe two men are to appear before Tralee District Court. (thejournal.ie)
- otherGardaí believe a large quantity of drugs is floating in the Atlantic and may make landfall. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe ship is believed to be linked to the arrest of four men in Kerry. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe ship travelled from Brazil carrying a load for a legitimate factory in the west of Ireland. (thejournal.ie)
- otherA similar smuggling operation last year is thought to have come from the same location. (thejournal.ie)
- otherSection 50 detention allows people to be held for a maximum of seven days. (thejournal.ie)
- otherHe is the fifth person arrested in this investigation. (rte.ie)
- otherThe four men are aged from their early 30s to their mid 40s and have addresses in Derry, Glasgow and Manchester. (rte.ie)
- otherSolicitors for the four men say they are entitled to a presumption of innocence. (rte.ie)
- otherGardaí say their investigation is continuing. (rte.ie)
- otherThe vessel Royal sailed from Brazil and was destined for Aughinish, County Limerick. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherThe fifth man was travelling on a vessel named the Royal. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherGardaí suspect the drugs were being routed through Ireland from South America to mainland Europe. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherRevenue said no further information is available while the operation is ongoing. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherThe drugs are suspected to have been dropped into the sea from a cargo ship. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe two men are detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 at Garda stations in Co. Clare. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe two men arrested on Saturday were aged in their 30s and 40s. (thejournal.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 20 Jan2025Men charged after arrest on boat on Shannon Estuary over alleged drug trafficking
Two men arrested on the cargo vessel have now been charged; five earlier arrests and charges in the same investigation are also reported, and a ship was searched on Wednesday with Revenue Customs Service investigators.
accusedaccusedaccusedaccusedaccusedaccusedaccused - 18 Jan2025Two more men arrested on boat on Shannon Estuary in connection with alleged drug trafficking
Adds the arrest of two men in their 30s and 40s on the cargo vessel on 18 January 2025, and says a third man was arrested on Wednesday after a search of the ship. The two men are detained under Section 50 at Garda stations in Co. Clare. Five men were already charged earlier.
suspect, 30s, malesuspect, 40s, malesuspect, male - 17 Jan2025Garda and Customs probe into suspected drugs smuggling operation off Irish coast continuing following arrests of five men
Adds the arrests at Meenogahane, Co Kerry, the detention of a fifth man on the cargo ship Royal, the suspected drug transfer off the Kerry coast, and the Revenue and Garda statements that the operation is ongoing.
suspect, malesuspect, malesuspect, malesuspect, malesuspect, male - 16 Jan2025Gardaí and Defence Force personnel conducting search operations as part of investigation into alleged criminal activity in Limerick
Adds that Gardaí and Defence Forces searched Meelick, Co Clare with a digger, that a 28-year-old man was detained on suspicion of facilitating a criminal organisation after arrest off the cargo vessel Royal, and that four other men were detained in Co Kerry.
suspect, 28, malesuspect, malesuspect, malesuspect, male - 16 Jan2025Fifth man arrested in 'mothership' drugs investigation
Reports a fifth arrest, a 28-year-old man detained after a cargo vessel was boarded and searched in the Shannon Estuary, and gives details of the four men arrested at Meenogahane on Monday, including their ages and addresses.
suspect, 28, malesuspect, early 30s to mid 40s, malesuspect, early 30s to mid 40s, malesuspect, early 30s to mid 40s, malesuspect, early 30s to mid 40s, male - 16 Jan2025Gardaí board suspected drug 'mother ship' in Shannon estuary and arrest suspect
Reports the boarding of the cargo ship in the Shannon estuary on 15 January and the arrest of a 28-year-old man on board, and links the ship to the arrest of four men in Kerry. Adds the suspected drop-off details and the section under which the suspect was arrested.
suspect, 28, malesuspect, 30, malesuspect, 31, malesuspect, 39, malesuspect, 45, male - 15 Jan2025Gardaí believe drugs shipment may be floating in sea off Kerry after botched smuggling drop-off
Names the offence under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, gives the four men's ages and the detention provisions, and reports that gardaí believe drugs are floating in the sea and that the men came back empty-handed.
suspect, 30, malesuspect, 31, malesuspect, 39, malesuspect, 45, male - 14 Jan2025Four held in Kerry on suspicion of aiding criminal group
Reports that the four men's detention was extended by up to 72 hours at a special sitting of Killarney District Court, that they are held in Tralee and Killarney Garda stations, that no drugs have been found, and that a highly-encrypted phone was seized. Ages and individual names are not given.
suspect, male, non-irish (judged from name)suspect, malesuspect, malesuspect, male