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Seven Men Sentenced for‍ €42 Million Cocaine Importation into Ireland

Seven men have been sentenced by the Special⁣ Criminal Court in Ireland‍ for their roles in a conspiracy to import over 600kg of cocaine, estimated to be worth €42 million. The operation involved a ⁣complex‍ network spanning multiple countries‍ and utilized encrypted communication methods. Sentencing is scheduled for March 23rd.

The Operation: From Amazon to Ireland

The examination revealed a refined operation originating in the Amazon region. Between December 14th and 27th, 2024, three Filipino men – Hanz Pangahin, ⁤Christopher Ampo, and Feljon ⁢Lao – loaded between 400kg and 600kg of cocaine onto the MV Royal,⁢ a ship flying a Maltese flag. The cocaine was concealed in 24 bags⁢ at the front of the vessel. RTÉ news reported on the initial seizure and arrests.

The MV Royal then sailed to the Shannon Estuary,⁢ Ireland, arriving around January 12th, 2025. Simultaneously, four other men – Miljan Koprivica (Manchester, UK), Conor Costello (Derry, Northern Ireland), Gary Monks (Glasgow, ⁤Scotland), and Ryan Watson (Glasgow, ‍Scotland) – traveled ‍to Ireland, arriving at separate dates after January 6th, 2025. These individuals comprised the “landing cell,” tasked with retrieving the ⁣drugs.

The Arrests

On⁣ January 12th, 2025, the four men were apprehended by⁢ Gardaí (irish police)⁢ while attempting to collect the cocaine from‍ the MV Royal using a rigid inflatable boat⁤ (RIB) at Meenogahane pier in County Kerry. The Irish Times detailed the arrests and the subsequent ⁢investigation.

Following the arrests at the pier, authorities seized the menS phones, which provided crucial evidence‍ linking them⁢ to the MV royal. On January 15th, 2025, a joint operation between ⁢Customs and Revenue⁣ and the Gardaí ‍boarded⁤ the MV Royal,⁤ arresting Lao, Pangahin,‍ and⁣ ampo.

Communication and Control

The investigation ⁢uncovered a hierarchical command structure⁤ utilizing encrypted communication platforms. Analysis of ‘Encro Chat’ phones revealed that ⁤the three Filipino crew⁢ members were promised payments equivalent to €138,558 each upon successful delivery of the cocaine.

The crew of⁢ the MV⁣ Royal received instructions from⁣ an individual ‍known as “Emaar Boss,” who ⁤used a Finnish SIM card