Eight men have been jailed for their roles in attempting to smuggle 2.2 tonnes of cocaine, worth more than €157 million (£135 million) aboard the bulk carrier MV Matthew.
Six of the men were caught on board the bulk carrier MV Matthew, where the drugs were found off the Irish coast in September 2023, while the other two attempted to transfer the illicit load onto a second vessel in the Irish Sea.
Together, they have received a combined sentence of 129 years, with individual terms ranging from 13 and a half to 20 years.
This seizure marked the largest cocaine haul in Irish history and resulted from a joint operation involving the Garda (Irish police), customs, and the Irish Defence Forces.
As reported, a judge highlighted a significant aggravating factor in the case, the attempted importation was linked to a cartel with international reach and unlimited resources, underscoring the gravity of the crime.