Irish man arrested over 55kg Peru cocaine seizure

Man was among three foreign nationals arrested in capital Lima

Police stopped a rented car in Lima and discovered suitcases containing the cocaine.

An Irish man is understood to have been arrested in Peru after 55kg of cocaine was seized by police in the capital Lima.

The 40-year-old man was one of three foreign citizens detained by police following a surveillance operation mounted by detectives from Peru’s anti-drugs unit, known as Dirandro.

A British and a Bulgarian man were also arrested.

Police stopped a rented car and discovered suitcases containing the cocaine.

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The men had been put under surveillance after entering Peru separately on July 21st and being filmed greeting each other at Lima’s Jorge Chavez International Airport.

The men are believed to have rented an apartment in the eastern Lima district of La Molina and rented the car.

It is understood the Bulgarian man was under surveillance by police amid suspicions he was working with Irish and British criminals to smuggle cocaine from South America to Europe.

Olivia Kelly

Olivia Kelly

Olivia Kelly is Dublin Editor of The Irish Times