GARDAÍ AND CUSTOMS OFFICERS investigating an alleged international drug trafficking scheme off Kerry have boarded a cargo ship at anchor in the Shannon estuary and arrested a suspect onboard. 

The ship is believed to be linked to the arrest of four men in Kerry in a major operation targeting global organised crime. 

The Journal has learned the ship has travelled from a site in Brazil with a load of material for a legitimate manufacturing factory in the west of the country which has no connection to crime. A similar smuggling operation last year is also thought to have come from the same location.

As revealed yesterday gardaí believe the drugs are somewhere off the coast of Kerry as a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) sent out to collect it couldn’t find the load. The drugs are suspected to have been dropped in the sea from a cargo ship.   

Yesterday gardaí along with Revenue Customs Service investigators boarded the ship and carried out a search. The ship is inside the estuary near Loop Head and Carrigaholt. 

A garda spokesperson confirmed that a 28-year-old man has been arrested on board the cargo ship which is waiting to off load its cargo in the Shannon estuary.  

The garda statement said that the man has been arrested under anti-organised crime legislation which looks at “facilitating/enhancing a criminal organisation to commit a serious offence”.

“The man has been detained under the provisions of Section 50 Criminal Justice Act 2007 at a Garda station in Co. Clare.

“Four males, aged 30, 31, 39 and 45, who were arrested on suspicion of committing a criminal offence contrary to Section 72 Criminal Justice Act 2006, facilitating/enhancing a criminal organisation to commit a serious offence at Meenogahane, Co. Kerry, on the 13th of January 2025 continue to be detained under the provisions of Section 50 Criminal Justice Act, 2007 at Garda stations in Co. Kerry.

“Investigations are ongoing,” the statement said. 

Section 50 detention means that they can be held for a maximum period of seven days.