It has emerged the searches took place last Thursday, led by members of the Limerick Garda Divisional Drug Unit
It has emerged the searches took place last Thursday, led by members of the Limerick Garda Divisional Drug Unit (DDU), and assisted by police officers attached to the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
Four simultaneous search operations took place at locations in Leeds and Sunderland, as part of an ongoing Garda investigation into the seizure of €21.6m worth of cocaine on board a cargo ship, the MV Verila, at Foynes Port, Foynes, County Limerick, on December 19, 2023.
The raids took place in the UK
Gardaí believe the drugs haul, which included 12 large bales, containing 308.6 kilos of cocaine, wrapped into 306 separate packages, was to be dumped over board the ship at Glin Pier, Glin, Co Limerick, prior to the vessel docking at Foynes.
However, as individuals involved in the illegal drugs transportation were not visible at the rendezvous location at Glin, their associates on board the Maltese registered ship, did not dump the drugs.
The cocaine shipment was later discovered by Gardaí and Customs Officers attached to Revenue, after the ship docked at Foynes Port.
Gardai taking part in the raids
News in 90 Seconds – Thursday, August 28
Two Bulgarian nationals, Kamen Petkov, (36), with an address at Varna Street, Vladaskav, Varrevciuk, and, Nikola Penchev, (34), with an address at Veliki, Preslav, who were both members of the MV Verila crew at the time, received ten-year jail sentences for assisting the Brazilian drug cartel behind the cocaine smuggling operation.
Sources have revealed that four separate searches conducted last Thursday in the UK targeted the activities of individuals suspected of being part of the drugs smuggling operation that surfaced at Foynes.
The searches were “hard entry”, meaning that armed officers used force to gain entry to properties, including using a battering ram.
At least one of the properties searched was “heavily fortified”.
“This should be a message to those involved in trafficking large amounts of drugs into or through Ireland, not to come through Irish waters, basically don’t do it, because Gardaí will catch you,” a source said.
Following the searches, a number of suspects were interviewed, not arrested, and questioned by investigating officers on suspicion of involvement in the shipment of the €21.6m cocaine haul through Irish waters.
Gardaí suspect the massive drugs haul was to be transported from Ireland to the UK and possibly back into mainland Europe as part of an international drug deal organised by a Brazilian cartel.
A number of persons interviewed by Gardaí following the UK raids have suspected links to a “Yorkshire based organised crime gang with international criminal links”.
A number of mobile phones, digital memory sticks and hard drives, were seized during the joint police force operation.
Some of the electronic devices seized were taken into possession by Gardaí and are to be subjected to a forensic examination in Ireland.
Gardaí are hoping that information may be contained in the devices that will provide further information about the organisation behind the trafficking of cocaine at Foynes two years ago.
Approximately 30 police and garda officers were involved in four simultaneous searches in the UK last Thursday.
Gardai travelled over to the UK to target the activities of what they suspect were individuals linked to the “landing team” or “rendezvous suspects” who had been poised to take possession of the cocaine haul at Glin Pier.
Garda intelligence has confirmed that a number of individuals travelled to the West Limerick area around the time of the cocaine seizure at Foynes, and they had used water craft to scope out the pre-planned drop off location at Glin.
Those involved are “a serious crime group in the UK with international links”, a source said.
The drug trafficking operation also involved criminals in Brazil, Holland and Bulgaria as well as a number of organised crime groups based in Eastern Europe.
“It was a very successful operation in the UK, and it shows that transnational gangs are operating in Ireland and using it as a gateway to Europe and the UK,” a source said.
“The operation in England sends out a message that it won’t be tolerated by Gardaí, and the individuals involved in drug trafficking will be pursued.”
A Garda file is expected to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions at a later date with a view to applying for international search warrants to detain and extradite further individuals to Ireland to face charges arising out of the MV Verila cocaine seizure.
The Garda Press Office said: “Members of An Garda Síochána were present in the UK earlier this month, when UK Authorities carried out searches and enquiries under a Mutual Assistance Request in relation to an ongoing criminal investigation in this jurisdiction.”
“As this is an ongoing investigation An Garda Síochána is not making any further comment.”