Transnational operation leads to significant drug seizures
Ireland is an active participant in Operational Action 6.1 of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) focused on the Most Threatening Criminal Networks and Individuals (MTCNI). This Operational Action (OA) supports coordination between jurisdictions on both sides of the Atlantic. This OA is supported by the European Union’s EL PACCTO 2.0 programme and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, (FRONTEX) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS).
As part of this OA, the Revenue Customs Service and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) participated in a coordinated operation, Operation ATLAS NEXUS, involving 34 countries from Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and other regions, together with regional and international organisations including AMERIPOL, CARICOM IMPACS, EUROPOL, FRONTEX, INTERPOL, MAOC(N) and RSS. Australia, Montenegro, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
The operation focused on identifying and disrupting polycriminal networks and high-value targets, seizing criminal assets and initiating further investigations, across five priority criminal markets: drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, document fraud, firearms trafficking and environmental crime. Over 156 tonnes in controlled drugs were seized with the arrest of 490 persons as well as a number of criminal networks identified and dismantled.
As part of this operation, the Revenue Customs Service and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) conducted a number of operational actions. Among these was an intelligence-led operation which was put in place in Ireland targeting the activity of a criminal organisation suspected to be involved in the importation of cocaine that was believed to be camouflaged within consignments of wood being shipped from Colombia. This criminal organisation was also involved in the distribution of cannabis.
This culminated in a search operation on 23/06/2026 in the Kildare area. A mobile laboratory was discovered in a truck trailer along with quantities of chemicals and equipment used in the extraction process. In total, 74 kg of cocaine was identified camouflaged in wooden sheets imported from South America. Forensic Science Ireland identified the extraction method and the value of the 74 kg of cocaine was estimated at €5.2 million. Approximately 32 kg of suspected herbal cannabis, with an estimated value of €640,000 was also seized.
Three males were arrested, charged and are currently before the courts.
Investigations, with the assistance of Interpol, are ongoing on both sides of the Atlantic to identify other persons involved in this network.
Another action conducted as part of Operation ATLAS NEXUS was a joint intelligence-led operation conducted at Dublin Port on 09/07/2026 by Revenue Customs officers with the GNDOCB where containers arriving from South America were searched. This resulted in the seizure of approximately 24 kg of cocaine with an estimated value of €1.6 million.
The illicit drugs were discovered with the assistance of detector dog Gerry, and Revenue’s Mobile X-Ray Scanning Unit, when officers searched a refrigerated container that had arrived from South America via Rotterdam
Investigations are ongoing on both sides of the Atlantic in relation to the network behind this attempted importation.
[ENDS 21/09/2026]