Dundalk searches carried out in relation to €4M cocaine seizure

This morning Donegal Gardaí, assisted by Louth Gardaí, carried out searches at a number of locations in Dundalk, in relation to the discovery last July of approximately 60kg of cocaine in Donegal.

Gardaí in Milford say they continue to investigate all of the circumstances of the discovery of a number of packages along the North Donegal coastline that occurred on Wednesday, 19th July 2023.

The packages, containing cocaine, were wrapped in black plastic and bound with ropes and weighed approximately 60kg, with an estimated street value in excess of €4 million, and were washed up at Ballyheirnan Beach in Fanad and Tramore Beach in Fanad, in Co Donegal.

During the search in Dundalk this morning, Gardaí say items of potential evidential value to the investigation have been seized, including electronic devices and documents. They add that no arrests have been made at this time and investigations are ongoing.

Following the discovery of the drugs last July, Michael O’Sullivan, a former Assistant Garda Commissioner who worked as the head of the EU’s anti-drugs smuggling agency, MAOC-N, before retiring said that, “the entire Atlantic is the route by which cocaine comes from South America" and that the discovery of the packages represented a "very costly expense" for drug smugglers and dealers.

He added that “depending on law enforcement and naval activity will determine on the route the vessels would take. On occasion they pass the west coast of Ireland - sometimes, they have landed on the west coast of Ireland - go around Scotland and come the east side of the UK. It depends on the operation, the cartel and the load. It depends on law enforcement activity - basically, where is the line of least resistance?”