Army Rangers seized a ship near Wexford, Ireland, uncovering a multi million euro cocaine shipment.
A soldier aimed a rifle, and the men obeyed, surrendering and getting on the floor.
The ARW team used a helicopter to board the ship. Their main goal was to quickly seize the bridge, allowing them to control the entire ship. They discovered a lifeboat was on fire.
The soldiers rushed to the burning lifeboat where men were attempting to burn its contents. The soldiers intervened, extinguishing the fire and discovering numerous packages wrapped in black plastic. These packages contained 2,253 kilos of cocaine, worth millions.
Police and customs seized the cocaine. This was the result of a large operation involving police, customs, the army, and international assistance.
Two men admitted guilt in court yesterday, adding to the six others who had already admitted guilt. They will all be sentenced later this year. This represents a significant drug seizure.
Saeid Hassani, 39, and Harold Estoesta, 31, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine on the MV Matthew for sale. They were the last of the eight to plead guilty.
The charge stated they possessed cocaine for sale on the MV Matthew between September 24-26, 2023. The drugs’ value was over €13,000.
Previously, four men pleaded guilty to a similar charge: Mykhailo Gavryk, Vitaliy Vlasoi, Soheil Jelveh, and Cumali Ozgen. Vitaliy Lapa and Jamie Harbron admitted trying to possess cocaine relating to the same shipment in September 2023.
The prosecutor accepted the pleas, and the judge remanded the men in custody. Their sentencing date will be set soon.
The operation to intercept the MV Matthew spanned weeks. The Kinahan gang was central to the plan. Sources indicate Daniel Kinahan’s group helped finance the deal.
The court heard the operation was coordinated from Dubai, where the MV Matthew was owned by a company.
A trawler, the Castlemore, was intended to transport the drugs to shore, with funding originating from Dubai. Sources say the Kinahans provided the funding and secured the drugs via connections with cartels in Colombia.
Police suspect the Clan del Golfo, Colombia’s largest cartel, supplied the cocaine. The drugs were primarily destined for Europe, likely involving multiple gangs.
The US Drug Enforcement Administration alerted Ireland that the MV Matthew was en route, carrying a significant cocaine cargo. The ship had been renamed MV Matthew on August 1.
On August 19, it sailed from the Caribbean, bound for Poland. Spanish, Dutch, and US navies closely monitored its progress. It entered Irish waters on September 22.
Irish authorities initiated action. Police were aware of the ship’s destination, but the operation’s scale required a joint effort.
A joint task force was formed, comprising police, customs, and the army. They monitored the ship and prepared to board it, with naval and air force support.
The Castlemore left port on September 22 and ran aground off Wexford on September 24. The Coast Guard rescued two men.
Police initially believed the Castlemore had taken the cocaine, but the drugs remained on the MV Matthew. The navy and air force continued surveillance. The ship’s skipper fell ill and was evacuated, remaining under guard in the hospital.
On September 26, the navy ordered the MV Matthew to halt, but it ignored the commands and accelerated. The navy fired warning shots, which led to the deployment of the ARW.
The ARW was on standby and received the order to proceed. They were transported by helicopter, each soldier equipped with a rifle and pistol.
The helicopter arrived before 1 pm, and the soldiers rapidly deployed onto the deck. They quickly gained control of the ship and discovered the cocaine.
The soldiers sailed the boat to Cork Harbour, where police assumed control.