A detector dog and X-ray scanners at a Cork port have led to the seizure of 55kgs of cocaine worth an estimated €3.85 million.
The seizure by Revenue officers, including drug detector dog Merlin, was made after cocaine was discovered hidden inside a refrigeration unit on a container arriving in Ringaskiddy Port.
It is understood that the container had been shipped from Ecuador in South America.
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A garda spokesperson said: "On Friday 14th of April 2023, as part of an intelligence-led operation, Revenue officers seized 55kgs of suspected cocaine with an estimated value of €3.85m at Ringaskiddy Port, Co. Cork. "
The illegal drugs were found with the assistance of Revenue’s Maritime Unit, drug detector dog Merlin and Revenues Mobile X-Ray Scanner concealed in the refrigeration unit of a maritime container which originated in Ecuador.
The seizure was made as a result of a joint operation conducted by Revenue’s Customs Service and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB).
The operation was part of Revenue’s ongoing joint investigations targeting transnational organised crime and the importation, sale and supply of illegal drugs.
A garda spokesperson confirmed that investigations are "ongoing."
"If businesses, or members of the public, have any information regarding drug smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295 295," they added.
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