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State can dispose of detained bulk carrier

A court has ordered on Dec 3, 2024, that the State can dispose of the'Matthesw' and is no longer obliged to make the ship available for inspections. It was alleged to have been used in one of the largest drugs’ hauls in Irish history and has been costing €100,000 per week to maintain since the ship was seized by the specialist wing of the Irish Defence Forces, the Army Rangers, in Sep 2023. Working with customs agents, they seized 2.2 tonnes of cocaine, worth an estimated €157 million. Eight men are due to go on trial in 2025 at the Special Criminal Court charged in relation to the haul. The berthing of the alleged drug trafficking ship in Cork had cost the state €4.4 million in the space of 11 months, The presence of the bulk carrier has also caused significant operational problems for the Port of Cork Company (POCC). The ship was formally forfeit to the State on November 19, 2023. The State had maintained the ship to allow access for the defence legal teams.

Value of seized ship’ plummets as storage costs soar

The State proceedings from the planned sale of the 'Matthew' were set to be largely wiped out by the costs of maintaining the vessel over the past 14 months. The bulk carrier was seized on Sep 26, 2023 after a drug interdiction operation by the Naval Service, Gardaí, Army Ranger Wing, Air Corps and Revenue Commissioners. While initially valued at €9.5m, the freighter has depreciated in value since then, while the Revenue Commissioners confirmed that protection and maintenance of the vessel has cost the State €5.3m to the end of September. For the past 14 months, the ship has been berthed between Marino Point and Passage West in Cork, pending the conclusion of ongoing court proceedings, under the provisions of the Customs Act, 2015.. Eight men are due to face trial before the Special Criminal Court in Jan 2025 over the seizure. The plan is to dispose of the vessel, most likely by public auction. The vessel is now forfeit to the Revenue Commissioners. A number of individuals are the subject of legal proceedings being taken by An Garda Síochána and the 'Matthew 'is an exhibit in those proceedings and remains under the care and management of Revenue, as the seizing authority. Protecting and maintaining the 'Matthew' is costing the State €380,000 per month. Generators have to be regularly operated to keep the ship in operational status. For maintenance reasons, the ship cannot be fully shut down, even though this would reduce costs. Once all prosecutions arising from the seizure are concluded, the State will seek a court order to allow the 2.2 tonnes of drugs to be destroyed by incineration. Gardaí have liaised with police in the United Arab Emirates, United States, China, the UK, Spain and the Caribbean over the bulk carrier and its movements in the weeks before its seizure off the Irish coast.

Seized vessel in Cork has cost the State €5.3 million over the past 12 months

The care and maintenance of the alleged drug trafficking 'Matthew' in Cork has cost the State €5.3 million over the past 12 months. The bulk carrier was seize following a dramatic inter-agency operation, involving members of the Army Ranger wing, off the south east coast. Gardaí and Revenue Customs officers found 2.2 tonnes of cocaine worth an estimated €157 million. Under the provisions of the Customs Act 2015, the ship was seized by an Officer of Customs on OIct 19 following the alleged seizure of drugs on board.Since its seizure, the ship has remained tied up at the Port of Cork's Marino Point berth, shifting occasionally to Passage West to facilitate other ship deliveries. In June, eight men charged in connection with the seizure were given a trial date of Jan 13, 2025 at the Special Criminal Court. The vessel is now forfeit to the Revenue Commissioners. It is the Revenue's intention to dispose of the vessel as soon as the legal position allows.