By Dan Walsh
A fishing trawler grounded off the east coast of Blackwater since last Sunday remains stuck on a sandbank with poor weather conditions hampering the authorities from boarding and conducting a search.
Gardaí have confirmed that it will be treated as a crime scene. It will also be searched, but at this stage Gardaí do not believe there are any drugs on board. amid suspicions it was en route to rendezvous with the impounded cargo ship held in Cork Harbour since Tuesday.
Gardaí are investigating the detention of the Panamanian registered bulk cargo vessel, MV MATTHEW and associated events have this evening (Thursday) made more arrests.
Six men were already in Garda custody being questioned in connection with the seizure of 2.25 tonnes of cocaine which may have a street value of up to €500 million.
Three of these men are Ukrainian, two are Iranian, and one is a UK national.
A seventh man was arrested for alleged organised crime offences contrary to the Criminal Justice Act 2006. He is a 48-year-old Dutch national, who was arrested on board the ship and taken to Mallow Garda Station.
All seven men are detained under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 which allows Gardaí to hold suspects for up to seven days. They are being held at Garda stations in Fermoy, Mallow, Cobh, Cork and in Wexford.
Two males were arrested and questioned at a Wexford Garda Station after their fishing trawler ran aground on a sandbank known locally as ‘Money Weights’ two kilometres off the Blackwater coast and twelve kilometres from Rosslare Harbour at around 11.30pm last Sunday night.
The Irish Coast Guard and Rescue 117 helicopter were also involved as were Rosslare RNLI Lifeboat who spent six hours trying to attach a tow-line in a huge swell and strong winds. The men were winched from the stricken vessel by Rescue 117 and handed over to the authorities.
Given the scale of the haul, authorities do not believe the cocaine was solely destined for Ireland and instead suspect the drugs, supplied by a South American cartel, were for distribution across Europe.
Investigations are continuing.
WexfordLocal.com 