Gardaí estimate 157 million euro worth of drugs were found aboard a cargo ship off the south coast

An investigation is continuing at Marino Point in Cork Harbour after the largest drug seizure in the history of the State off the South-East Coast yesterday.

Gardaí estimate 157 million euro worth of drugs were found aboard the cargo ship

Shots were fired as the MV Matthew was taken over by the Army Ranger Wing, The Naval Service, Gardai and Revenue Customs.

Gardaí say about 25 people were on board, but cannot comment on the possibility of further arrests.

Assistant Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly explains where the drugs came from

"This product was supplied by a South American cartel, one of the murderous cartels that are behind the cocaine shipments into Europe"

                                                                          Image: X/@defenceforces  An Irish Naval Vessel circles the Panama-registered MV Matthew off the Irish coast

Meanwhile

Speaking to RedFM News, former Army Ranger and Independent TD Cathal Berry explains how members of the Defence Forces took control of the ship:

"A boarding party was launched as we saw yesterday. Generally a boarding party would come by sea in small ribs but because the walls of the ship are so high, it had to come by helicopter yesterday so you have a tap down assault using fast rope technique and that's what was used very effectively"