GARDAI SEIZE POUNDS 15M WORTH OF CANNABIS OFF CORK COAST

The 1.5 tonnes of cannabis resin seized when the authorities boarded a
vessel off the west Cork coast early yesterday originated in Morocco, and is
believed to have been intended for export to continental Europe after being
landed in Ireland.

A combined naval, customs and Garda operation resulted in the confiscation
of the cannabis, estimated to have a street value of pounds 15 million. One
senior Garda source said the seizure was the result of international liaison
and local knowledge.

Three British nationals are being held for questioning at Bandon Garda
station.

Once their vessel, the British-registered Posidonia, was escorted to Schull
pier early yesterday morning, they were held for an initial six hours under
Section 2 of the Drugs Trafficking Act.

The detention was later extended under the order of a chief superintendent,
and the period may again be extended for a further 24 hours from 2 a.m. this
morning.

It is understood that police forces in Britain and elsewhere are being
consulted in an effort to determine precisely how the shipment was organised
and who was behind it.

The Posidonia was apparently in poor condition and making slow headway on
its journey from Morocco to the Cork coast, where it was intercepted by the
Irish naval vessel, LE Ciara, on Tuesday afternoon. There was a news
blackout on the interception while customs officials and gardai prepared
their plan.

The Ciara, commanded by Lieut Cdr Martin McGrath, picked up four members of
the combined operation force off Baltimore, and two armed boarding parties
were launched.

Cannabis resin was found strewn about the wheelhouse of the boat, which was
then escorted to Schull early yesterday.

Other gardai were standing by at the pier to arrest the three British
nationals, two of whom were said to be in their 50s, while the third was
aged 32. He gave a London address, which is now being checked by gardai.

A forensics team is examining the boat, most of which is expected to be
dismantled to determine whether even more drugs may have been concealed in
secret compartments.

The pounds 15 million haul came only hours after almost pounds 1 million
worth of ecstasy tablets were found at a warehouse near Glanmire, on the
outskirts of Cork city, on Tuesday night.

Following a prolonged surveillance operation, gardai found at least 75,000
ecstasy tablets, which they think were destined for distribution in Cork
city and the Munster counties.

Four men in their 30s were arrested under Section 2 of the Drugs Trafficking
Act. They were detained at the Mayfield and Gurranabraher Garda stations in
Cork. It is understood that one of the men has an address in Nottingham,
while the others are from Cork city and county.