Gardaí worry 'vulnerable people' are being used to smuggle cocaine into the country by ingesting pellets.
Ireland has seen a significant increase in drug seizures so far this year, as gardaí worry "vulnerable people" are being used to smuggle cocaine into the country by ingesting pellets.
Five people from Brazil were arrested for smuggling cocaine by ingesting pellets filled with the drug. Four of these came through Lisbon and one through Charles De Gaul. Michael Gilligan, head of customs for Revenue's Dublin Airport branch, said each person had ingested up to 100 pellets of cocaine. All five people were taken to hospital, and after being given the all-clear appeared before the courts. According to Superintendent Darren McCarthy, these drug smugglers are usually at “the bottom of the chain” and are receiving €1,000-€3,000 to smuggle around €70k worth of cocaine into the country.
The luggage, along with the pellets of cocaine, was on display at a joint An Garda Síochána and Revenue briefing at Dublin Airport today. Speaking about the seizures, Superintendent McCarthy said: “An Garda Síochána arrested nine persons and eight of those cases were from the 4th to 8th of September.
The customs expert said he is happy with the work and collaboration between Revenue and An Garda Siochana so far this year. He admitted that they are by no means “getting everything” but said seizures at Dublin Airport are reflective of what’s happening in “other airports in Europe”.
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