GARDAI SMASH INTERNATIONAL DRUG SMUGGLING RING

GARDAI have uncovered an international cocaine smuggling route that used
Ireland as a backdoor into Europe.

An overseas gang is believed to have carried out a multi-million pound
trafficking operation with Dublin as a transit point in recent months.

But the operation was smashed yesterday by detectives from the Garda
national drugs unit in co-operation with the Customs national drugs team
and last night two South Africans and a Dutchman were in custody in
Dublin's Store Street garda station.

Gardai raided a bedroom in a city centre hotel and seized seven kilos of
cocaine which had been concealed in picture frames. The haul is estimated
to be worth pounds 560,000 on the streets.

Detectives believe the cocaine had been smuggled through Dublin airport on
a flight from Germany earlier in the week and the consignment had
originated in Peru.

Gardai initially arrested a 27-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman, both
of whom were born in England but had been living in South Africa for
several years, and further inquiries resulted in the detention of a
Dutchman at the same hotel.

The three were being held for questioning under the drug trafficking
legislation which allows them to be detained without charge for up to seven
days.

Another recent haul of cocaine, estimated to be worth about pounds 1.2m,
was also found by Customs officers in picture frames and the two
consignments are now thought to have been linked.

Gardai are satisfied that a series of cocaine consignments were smuggled
into the country previously and then re-routed either to Britain or
mainland Europe. At least one previous trafficking operation involved
Nigerians and most of the hauls appear to be sent to Dublin via Germany.

One detective said: ``This has been an important route for an overseas
trafficking gang in the past but as a result of our joint operation with
the Customs it has now been exposed and follow-up inquiries will be made.''

Last month the Garda national drugs unit seized heroin and cocaine worth
pounds 1m when they stopped a car in Drimnagh, Dublin.