An Irish court has sentenced three Ukrainian sailors who were caught on board the MV Matthew with the largest cocaine shipment in the country’s history—over 2.2 tonnes valued at around €150 million.
The vessel, which had departed from Latin America, was used by drug cartels to transport the shipment to Europe. According to the investigation, the plan was to transfer the drugs onto smaller boats in open waters for further distribution.
Irish special forces boarded the MV Matthew from helicopters during a storm. One of the crew members attempted to destroy documents and equipment to conceal evidence. After the seizure, the vessel was towed to Cork port.
The court found the Ukrainians to be hired sailors rather than organizers of the shipment, although one of them was allegedly coordinating communications with the shore. They face sentences ranging from 7 to 10 years in prison. This case marks a significant blow to cartel smuggling routes and is the largest anti-drug operation in Irish history.
