Gardaí are concerned about “cocaine tourists” arriving in Co Donegal to search for bales of cocaine being washed up on shore.
On Thursday the Garda Water Unit located a third package of the drug, close to where two packages were located earlier in the week.
The third package was in similar wrapping. It follows a concentrated search by the Garda Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) around Sheephaven Bay at Downings, Horn Head and Ards. The value of the drugs so far is thought to be more than €4 million.
Authorities are rushing to find any remaining packages that may have washed ashore before they can be taken by members of the public.
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A Revenue patrol boat, a Garda helicopter and small craft from the Garda Water Unit have been searching the shoreline for signs of similar packages.
Gardaí believe the cocaine packages that were washed ashore came from a larger consignment moored to a buoy at sea. It was possibly attached to a GPS locator, with the intention that it would later be collected by criminals operating a small boat.
They suspect the consignment became unmoored in poor weather, leading to the packages washing ashore.
Gardaí are also investigating if two packages of cocaine, found 30km apart in Co Cork last month, are part of the same consignment. The packages, weighing 1kg each, had been in the water for some time.
So far, the drugs found in Donegal have been located on popular beaches, leading gardaí to believe further packages may be undiscovered in more isolated areas.
“We want to get to them before anyone else takes it upon themselves to go searching,” said a source. “We might already be too late. It’s pure chance and it’s down to the type of person who comes across the package.”
“The worry is droves of tourists coming up to try their luck,” said another.
Mooring cocaine to buoys for later collection is one of the ways the drug is smuggled into Ireland. The buoy method is one of the hardest to detect as there could be days or weeks between the drugs being dropped off at sea and being collected.
Gardaí have urged beachgoers in Donegal and Cork to immediately report any suspicious packages.
The first batch of Donegal drugs were found by a walker on Tramore Beach on the outskirts of Dunfanaghy village early on Wednesday morning. The drugs, wrapped in black plastic and bound by a rope, were found on the edge of the water at the remote beach.
The man dragged the suitcase-sized bale up the beach and tied it to a plank of wood as he feared it could be washed out to sea again. He contacted gardaí and officers from Milford Garda station went to Tramore Beach and secured the drugs. A second bale was found at Ballyhiernan Beach at Fanad Head a short time later.
A Garda representative said it is appealing to landowners “in the Fanad Head area with coastal land and/or any people using the North Donegal Coastline over the coming days to be conscious of the packages that have been recovered today.
“Any person who sees any similar package or any other marine debris that attracts their attention is asked to contact An Garda Síochána at the investigation team at Milford Garda station 074 9153060, their local Garda station or the Garda Confidential Phone number 1800 666 111.”
Samples of the drugs seized have been sent for analysis by Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) but gardaí say they suspect the substance is cocaine.
