Ireland Named in reporting
Harold Estoesta
Born 1993, from the ages reported. 29 reports across 3 cases, 5 Oct 2023 to 4 Jul 2025
Key facts
from every report naming them- Named as
- Convicted, accused, suspect
- Born
- 1993, from the ages reported
- Nationality
- Filipino, as stated in a report
- Offences
- Possession of cocaine for sale or supply, Attempted possession of cocaine for sale or supply
- Where
- Co. Dublin, Co. Cork, Co. Wexford
- Reporting
- 29 reports, 5 Oct 2023 to 4 Jul 2025
- Outlets
- irishmirror.ie, rte.ie, irishtimes.com, corkbeo.ie, thejournal.ie
Photographs
as published, with the outlet's credit
Images are shown from the outlet that published them and link back to the article. Copyright stays with the credited photographer or agency.
Cases
latest first- Eight jailed for cocaine possession on MV Matthew in Dublin Possession of cocaine for sale or supply · Co. Dublin
Eight men were sentenced on 4 July 2025 at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin for their roles in smuggling 2.25 tonnes of cocaine worth over €157 million on the Panamanian-registered bulk carrier MV Matthew. The ship, crewed by men hired by a transnational organised crime group in Dubai, was intercepted in Irish waters on 26 September 2023 after departing from Curacao off the Venezuelan coast. Six crew members on board and two men on a second vessel were arrested after the Army Ranger Wing boarded the ship in severe weather. All eight pleaded guilty to possession or attempted possession of cocaine for sale or supply. They received sentences ranging from 13 and a half to 20 years, totalling 129 years.
Sentenced, 4 Jul 2025Convicted, accused · 4 reports - Eight men convicted of cocaine possession for supply off Cork Possession of cocaine for sale or supply · Co. Cork
In September 2023, Army Rangers boarded the Panamanian-registered bulk carrier MV Matthew off the Cork coast and seized 2,253kg of cocaine valued at €157 million, described as the largest drugs seizure in Irish history. Eight men, including British, Ukrainian, Iranian, Dutch and Filipino nationals, were arrested and charged in connection with the seizure. All eight pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply before the Special Criminal Court. The sentencing hearing, which heard evidence of the Dubai-based criminal organisation that directed the operation, is ongoing with sentences to be delivered on 4 July 2025.
Convicted, 19 Dec 2024Convicted, accused, suspect · 12 reports - Eight men await sentencing over €157m cocaine seizure off Wexford Possession of cocaine for sale or supply · Co. Wexford
Approximately 2.25 tonnes of cocaine, valued at more than €157 million, was seized from the Panamanian-registered bulk carrier MV Matthew off the Wexford coast in September 2023, the largest cocaine seizure in Irish history. The ship, owned by Dubai-based Symphony Marine, had departed Curaçao and was pursued by the Naval Service before Army Rangers boarded it on 26 September 2023. Eight men, including ship's officers of Ukrainian, Iranian, Dutch, Filipino, and non-Irish nationality, were charged with possession of cocaine for sale or supply and participation in a criminal organisation. All eight defendants pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court, with the last two, Iranian Saeid Hassani (39) and Filipino Harold Estoesta (31), entering their pleas on 18 February 2025. They are remanded in custody until 24 February 2025 for a mention hearing to fix a sentencing date.
Convicted, 6 Feb 2025Convicted, accused, suspect · 13 reports
Timeline
every report naming Harold Estoesta, newest firstEach entry shows how that report described them.
- 4 Jul2025MV Matthew €157m cocaine seizure sentencing LIVE as eight men learn their fateconvicted, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 4 Jul2025Eight jailed over largest cocaine seizure in Irelandconvicted, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 5 Jun2025‘Go like f**k mate’: How the MV Matthew ship and a €157 million drugs haul was seizedaccused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 5 Jun2025Crew hired for 'Cork cocaine ship' MV Matthew were under ‘financial pressure’accused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 4 Jun2025Two MV Matthew crew were 'expendable', court toldconvicted, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 4 Jun2025Captain of Cork cocaine ship MV Matthew ‘feared for his life’accused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 3 Jun2025Iranian smugglers, Dubai gangsters and the frantic crew texts as Irish Special Forces boardedconvicted, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 3 Jun2025Irish Army rangers risked their lives in boarding cargo ship carrying cocaine, court hearssuspect, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 19 Feb2025MV Matthew: How Elite Ranger wing took down Ireland's biggest ever coke shipmentconvicted, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 18 Feb2025Two plead guilty over roles in largest cocaine seizure in Irish historysuspect, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 18 Feb2025Pair plead guilty to part in largest ever cocaine seizure in Irelandsuspect, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 18 Feb2025Two plead guilty over €157m cocaine seizure on cargo shipconvicted, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 13 Feb2025Officer tried to mask MV Matthew's position, court toldaccused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 12 Feb2025Group on MV Matthew told to be ready to burn €157m cocaine load, court toldaccused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Harold Estoesta
- 12 Feb2025Trial hears of messages to MV Matthew to burn €157m cocaineaccused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 11 Feb2025Pair played ‘essential part’ in international drug trafficking scheme, Special Criminal Court hearssuspect, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Harold Estoesta
- 11 Feb2025Trial over largest cocaine seizure in Irish history beginsaccused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 11 Feb2025MV Matthew: Trial of two men for alleged part in country's biggest trafficking seizure beginsaccused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 6 Feb2025Four men plead guilty over record breaking €157m cocaine seizureaccused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 6 Feb2025Four men plead guilty in relation to largest cocaine seizure in Irish historyaccused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 4 Feb2025Six men facing trial in relation to raid on Panamanian cargo ship fail to have charges dismissedaccused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 27 Jan2025Man due to go on trial after cocaine seizure on Panamanian cargo ship pleads guilty to drugs offenceaccused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 13 Jan2025Six men accused in relation to €157m cocaine haul on MV Matthew seeking to have charges dismissedaccused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 24 Jun2024Eight men charged in relation to State’s largest ever drug seizure given January trial dateaccused, Harold Estoesta, 30, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Harold Estoesta
- 7 May2024Men charged over State’s biggest drug seizure to be tried at the Special Criminal Courtaccused, Harold Estoesta, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 15 Apr2024Man faces new charge in connection with biggest drug seizure in history of Stateaccused, Harold Estoesta, 30, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 5 Mar2024‘I just followed the orders’: Man returned for trial in relation to €157m Cork cocaine seizureaccused, Harold Estoesta, 30, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
- 5 Oct2023Eighth man charged over Cork drugs seizureaccused, Harold Estoesta, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Harold Estoesta
- 5 Oct2023Cork cocaine ship case: Accused says he ‘was tricked and informed they were spare parts’accused, Harold Estoesta, 30, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoesta
Matched on the name as printed, ignoring quoted nicknames, and split by the ages reported. Two people who share a name and age would appear together here.