By Amy Campbell EchoLive.ie
Two men are to appear in court this morning over a major drug seizure in West Cork earlier this week which saw four people arrested and suspected cocaine estimated to be worth around €31 million.
A garda spokesperson told The Echo this morning: “The two males (30s and 40s) arrested in the Courtmacsherry area as part of this operation have since been charged and are expected to appear before a sitting of Bandon District Court this morning, Thursday.
“The two males (also aged in their 30s and 40s) arrested at Haulbowline Naval Base remain detained at a Garda station in Co. Cork under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007.”
Gardaí intercepted a van in the Courtmacsherry area in the early hours of Tuesday morning. There were two men in the vehicle that was searched as part of the garda operation.
A large quantity of cocaine was found in the van, believed to be in the region of half a tonne. The estimated value of this narcotic on the market is in excess of €31m, but is subject to further analysis by Forensic Science Ireland.
The men aged in their 30s and 40s were arrested at the scene, and were detained in a garda station in Cork under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. This means they can be held for seven days.
Meanwhile, according to a spokesperson for An Garda Síochána, a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) with two men on board departed Broadstrand in Courtmacsherry and the LÉ William Butler Yeats, which was on patrol in the area as part of the joint task force operation, responded with support from a maritime patrol aircraft from the air corps.
This aircraft provided overhead surveillance during the operation as two Irish naval service rigid inflatable boats, with members of the ship’s maritime interdiction team, were launched from the LÉ William Butler Yeats.
These craft intercepted the suspect rigid inflatable boat off the coast of Cork. “The suspect RIB was detained by Revenue customs service and the two males were taken on board the LÉ William Butler Yeats,” the garda spokesperson said.
“The LÉ William Butler Yeats returned to Haulbowline Naval Base, and both males [also aged in their 30s and 40s] have been arrested by gardaí and are currently detained in a garda station in Co Cork under Section 50 Criminal Justice Act 2007.”