Joint Task Force Operation off the southwest coast of Ireland there will be a brief photocall and media facility at the quayside in Castletownbere at 2 p.m. this afternoon.
The three men arrested yesterday (7/11/08) as part of "Operation Seabight" in West Cork are expected to appear at Clonakilty District Court this evening (8/11/08) at 7.30pm. Please see Press Release below.
Garda Press Office
8th November 2008. 17.45hrs
Following yesterday’s (6/11/08) Joint Task Force Operation off the southwest coast of Ireland there will be a brief photocall and media facility at the quayside in Castletownbere at 2 p.m. this afternoon.
Media will be able to photograph/film the seized material and representatives of all three members of the Joint Task Force (Navy, Customs and Gardaí) will be available for brief media interviews. In that context, media should be aware that the operation and investigation are ongoing and comments to media will, by necessity, reflect that fact.
Garda Press Office
7th November 2008 11.53hrs.
PRESS RELEASE ON BEHALF OF THE
JOINT TASK FORCE ON DRUG INTERDICTION, IRELAND
OPERATION ‘SEABIGHT’
An international operation led by the Irish Joint Task Force on Drug Interdiction (JTF), comprising of Naval, Revenue Customs and Garda Síochána resources assisted by the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre - Narcotics, (MAOC-N) in Lisbon and the Serious Organised Crime Agency UK, is ongoing off the southwest coast of Ireland.
A number of individuals have been arrested during a boarding of a 60-foot yacht by a Naval boarding team from the Naval vessel L.E. Niamh.
A substantial quantity of suspect packages of what is believed to be cocaine with an estimated street value of approx €500 million, subject to forensic analysis, have been detected on board the yacht and are being brought to an Irish port for examination by Customs and Garda officers.
The operation is expected to continue for some time. The boarding operation was undertaken by Naval boarding teams in adverse weather conditions and was executed expeditiously.
Three males between the ages of 44 and 52 are currently in Garda custody and the investigation is continuing.
The JTF believes that this intelligence-led operation has resulted in a significant, international success in drug interdiction.
Garda Press Office
6th November 2008
A Joint Task Force Operation comprising of Naval, Garda and Customs Assets was launched off the Southwest Coast of Ireland in recent days. The Operation is ongoing and for operational reasons no further information can be released at this time.
Garda Press Office,
13:50hrs 06/11/08
