A ship's captain yesterday denied there were guns, drugs or any illegal goods on board his vessel despite it being searched by Customs officers and garda∅ investigating the activities of dissident republicans.
Capt Peter Wembel insisted the only cargo he was carrying was timber and that it was being searched by Customs officers as part of a routine operation to check for drugs or smuggled goods.
However, garda∅ and Customs sources suspected there could be smuggled cigarettes and possibly weapons on board, intended for dissident republicans who are opposed to the peace process.
Groups such as the "Real IRA" and Continuity IRA could sell any contraband cigarettes on the black market, where they would fetch a sizeable profit.
Capt Wembel said he and his crew arrived in Drogheda port at 2.30 a.m. yesterday on the Dunkerque Express II carrying a cargo of timber.
The German-registered vessel has been at sea since it left Latvia last week. Capt Wembel said searches by Customs officials were routine and happened twice yearly to all ships.
Asked if he had ever been approached to carry contraband, he laughed and said he would not do it. He said it was too expensive if apprehended by Customs.
The shipping agent, Mr Martin Butterly, said it had complied with a request from Customs officers not to start discharging the cargo yesterday morning at 8 a.m.
A company spokesman, Mr Tom O'Reilly, said the ship had not been impounded or arrested and the company was working to remove the cargo under the watch of both garda∅ and Customs.
He said that two-thirds of the load was destined for Drogheda, the balance to be transported to Cornwall.
It is understood that the Dunkerque Express II has docked previously in Drogheda and regularly carries timber from Latvia to Ireland and Britain.