AN IRISH Naval Service commander has told a court in London about the tracking of a catamaran across the Atlantic as a gang transported drugs on it from South America to Cork.
Cdr Eugene Ryan gave evidence at the trial of a man who has been charged in connection with the seizure of cocaine worth £200 million (€229 million) at Dunlough Bay, Co Cork, in July 2007.
Cdr Ryan is a member of the Irish Joint Taskforce on Drugs Interdiction,
John Edney (57), of Main Road, Sutton-at-Hone, Kent, denies conspiracy to supply cocaine.
He is accused of helping with the botched operation by allegedly providing three 4x4 vehicles used by the gang. Cdr Ryan told the court that he traced the 27-day crossing using details of calls made to and from the vessel, the Lucky Day.
Satellite calls from Medellin and Bogota in Colombia were made to the catamaran as it sailed off the coast of Venezuela.
The drugs were transferred to a rigid inflatable boat off the coast and the catamaran was later detained by Spanish authorities in La Coruña, northern Spain.
On Thursday the court heard the gang behind the operation had arranged for 62 bales of the drug to be transferred to an inflatable boat to land it at a remote point on the southwest coast. But the vessel ran out of fuel in force six gales and foundered on the rocks before it reached its destination, the court was told.
It is alleged that on or before July 9th, 2007, Mr Edney conspired with Michael Daly, Alan Wells and others to supply the drug.
Daly (49), a retired Metropolitan police officer who organised the logistics, and Wells (56), have both pleaded guilty to their part in the conspiracy, prosecuting counsel Mark Gadsden told the jury.
A further three men – Perry Wharrie, Martin Wanden and Joe Daly – have already been convicted in Cork, while a fourth – Gerard Hagan – pleaded guilty at the start of the trial.