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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
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