Customs officers working with the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau intercepted 112 kg of high-purity cocaine concealed in a refrigerated trailer that disembarked the Cherbourg ferry at Rosslare late on 27 July. The drugs carry an estimated street value of €7.84 million. The haul followed a risk-profiling exercise that singled out the Spanish-registered vehicle for inspection. Two Romanian nationals have been arrested and can be held for up to seven days under section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act. While the seizure primarily targets organised crime, it underscores how Irish customs are intensifying freight checks as part of a broader EU drive to secure external borders and combat drug-financed human-smuggling networks. Logistics firms should anticipate more frequent inspections of unaccompanied trailers, raising the possibility of transit delays on the busy France-to-Ireland land-bridge alternative. The operation comes days after Revenue finalised the disposal of the bulk-carrier MV Matthew, used in last year’s €157 million Atlantic cocaine shipment. The agency says intelligence gained from that case is informing real-time targeting at Irish ports and airports. Businesses moving time-sensitive pharma or agri-food loads through Rosslare are advised to build additional buffer time into supply-chain schedules and ensure documentation is flawless to avoid secondary searches.
Source: Revenue Commissioners
