Cartel Crew Sentenced to Prison Over Ireland’s Largest-Ever Drug Bust

Eight crew members from the bulk carrier Matthew have received prison sentences ranging from 13.5 to 20 years for their roles in Ireland’s largest cocaine seizure – a 2.2-tonne haul valued at €157 million ($166 million). The sentences mark the conclusion of a case that began with a dramatic military operation in September 2023.

The operation dismantled a sophisticated smuggling attempt orchestrated by a transnational crime group based in Dubai. Authorities described the organization as having “immense capabilities, unlimited resources and a global reach.”

The Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier MV Matthew, which had traveled from South America via Willemstad, Curaçao, was intercepted off Ireland’s coast after being tracked for several days. When the vessel ignored multiple warnings and attempted to evade authorities, the Irish Navy patrol vessel LÉ William Butler Yeats fired warning shots before military forces boarded the ship via helicopter.

A second vessel, the Castlemore, had been purchased to collect the cocaine from the “mother ship” for smuggling into Europe, but it ran aground off the Wexford coast.

The heaviest sentence of 20 years was given to Dutch national Cumali Ozgen, described as “the cartel’s man on the ship” who stood to receive a substantial bonus for the operation’s completion.

The court deemed the case within “exceptional and egregious circumstances” due to its scale and sophistication. The organization used Starlink Wi-Fi, encryption software, and “spoofing” techniques to disguise the vessel’s route and location at sea.

Following the sentencing, Detective Superintendent Joe O’Reilly from Ireland’s Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau issued a stern warning: “To those involved in drug trafficking, the message is clear, the full force of the Irish State, supported by our international partners is against you.”

The MV Matthew was escorted to a naval base at Marino Point in Cork Harbour after the raid. Equassis data revealed the vessel was owned by a one-ship company based in the Marshall Islands and had changed hands just weeks before the operation.

Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Seán Clancy previously highlighted the significance of the operation: “This operation demonstrated the importance of all services of the Defence Forces and their ability to operate in the most challenging of conditions.”

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