Extensive searching in recent days by the Garda, aided by the Defence Forces, in Cork and Kerry after the discovery of over half a tonne of crystal meth last week, valued at €32.8 million, has now been extended to Waterford.
The Irish Times has learned a significant search operation commenced in Waterford City on Sunday, at a commercial premises, and involved teams of gardaí using plant machinery.
Dozens of gardaí have been involved in the operation, including local members of the force from Waterford City and their colleagues from Kerry and Cork where the main investigation is based.
Gardaí believe the drugs found in a container in Cork Port last Friday are owned by the Sinaloa cartel based in Mexico. The main line of inquiry is that a number of Irish men based in Kerry and Cork have been acting as agents for the cartel.
It is believed the Irish suspects have been aiding the movement of large quantities of the cartel’s drugs in Europe as they move via Irish waters and ports. The search operations in Cork and Kerry, at business and residential addresses, have unfolded as part of the Garda’s efforts to discover the true extent of the Irish operation.
According to sources, the suspicion now is that the footprint of the Irish-Mexican drugs network stretches beyond the Cork and Kerry regions where the searching, and two arrests, took place last Friday after the drugs were discovered.
In reply to queries, Garda Headquarters confirmed the Waterford searches were taking place and that they were linked to the drugs operation in Cork and Kerry that began at the end of last week.
“As part of ongoing investigations in connection with the large drug seizure made at Cork Port on Friday, a search was carried out by gardaí at a premises in Waterford City on Sunday evening,” the reply stated, adding no further information was available at this time.
The searches last week not only uncovered the large haul of drugs, believed to be crystal meth, but also led to the seizure of two firearms. Two Irish men, both in their 40s, were arrested on Friday and were still being detained on Monday. They were being question under anti gang legislation and can be held for up to seven days without charge.
Gardaí believe the consignment of synthetic drugs seized last Friday, believed to be crystal meth worth €32.8 million, was transiting through the Republic. It is suspected the consignment was ultimately destined for the Australian market.
Gardaí in Co Kerry and members of the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB) have identified several Irish suspects based in the Munster area who they believe have been working for the Sinaloa cartel.
The Mexican-based crime group, once headed by ‘El Chapo’ Joaquin Guzman, is regarded as one of the world’s biggest cartels and featured in the Netflix series Narcos.
The drugs discovered in Cork were hidden in machinery that had been shipped in container freight into the deepwater berth in the lower harbour at Ringaskiddy.
The initial intelligence about the drugs came from the Garda’s Kerry Divisional Drugs Unit. Members of that unit have been pursuing leads that came to light during a large drug seizure in another part of the Republic over a year ago.
Revenue’s Custom Service officers joined the operation with Kerry gardaí and the DOCB, beginning a search of the container in Cork Port on Thursday. It is understood power tools were used to cut open machinery in the container, with the drugs discovered inside on Friday morning.
Last week’s seizure is far larger than all previous seizures of the drug in Ireland combined. The market for crystal meth in Ireland is believed to be small. However, it is in high demand in Australia where it sells at much higher prices.
Gardaí believe the drug was routed through Ireland as it is not viewed as a suspicious origin point by customs authorities in Australia.
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