State cleared to 'dispose' of cargo ship seized following €157 million cocaine haul

A court has cleared the way for the State to dispose of a cargo ship which was seized following one of the largest drugs' hauls in Irish history.

The State has been paying €100,000 every week since the MV Matthew was seized in dramatic fashion when the specialist wing of the Irish Defence Forces, the Army Rangers, stormed it off the South Coast in September 2023. 

Working with customs officers, they seized 2.2 tonnes of cocaine, worth an estimated €157 million.

Eight men are due to go on trial next year at the Special Criminal Court to face charges in relation to the haul.

John Berry SC, for the State, previously told the court that the ship was formally forfeit to the State on November 19, 2023.

The State had maintained the ship to allow access for the defence legal teams.

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At a hearing this Monday, Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo ordered that the State is no longer obliged to make the ship available for inspection.

The judge put a stay of two weeks on the order but has allowed the State to "put into train" the process of disposal immediately.

Mr Berry said the process of disposal is likely to take more than one month.