A MAN WAS today remanded in custody after pleading guilty to possession of €21.6 million worth of cocaine found on board a ship that docked at Foynes Port, County Limerick, last year.

The massive cocaine haul, with an estimated value of €21,604,891, was the largest drug seizure in County Limerick, and one of the biggest seizures in the history of the Irish State.

The cocaine was seized by Custom officials and Gardai on board a cargo ship that docked at Foynes Port, Co Limerick last December.

The defendant, Kamen Petkov, (36), with an address at Varna Street, Vladaskav, Varrevciuk, 131 Bulgaria, who was arrested on board the ship, today admitted three charges before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.

Petkov, who was assisted in court by a Bulgarian translator, admitted one count of importing cocaine into Ireland via Foynes Port on 19 December, 2023.

He also admitted one count of possessing the cocaine for sale or supply, contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, as well as one count of simple possession of the cocaine, contrary to Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Petkov’s barrister, senior counsel, Mark Nicholas, acknowledged on behalf of the defendant that, an “enormous amount” of cocaine found on board the ship.

Judge Dermot Sheehan remanded Petkov in custody to appear before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court on 14 October, to arrange a date for sentencing.

The Maltese registered cargo ship, The Verila, a large grain carrier, was searched by customs officers and gardai as part of a joint security operation targeting the importation of drugs into Ireland.

The authorities seized approximately 300kg of cocaine on board.

The 20,000 tonne cargo vessel was detained at the time by Revenue under Section 33 of the Customs Act 2015.

At the time, six men, including Petkov, were arrested as part of the Garda/customs investigation.

Four of the men were released without charge and Petkov and another man were brought before the courts and charged as part of the investigation.