Dissident among three held in drugs swoop on yacht in Cork

TWO Irishmen and a Czech national are being questioned after drugs investigation gardaí, the Navy and Customs officer swooped on a yacht off the Cork coast yesterday.

Senior sources have revealed that one of these men is a dissident republican criminal.

And it emerged last night that the raid followed an international intelligenceled operation during which the yacht was under surveillance for weeks unbeknown to those on board.

It arrived in Irish waters from the Azores in Portugal. However, sources have revealed that it started its journey as far away as Central America.

The Irish end of the operation began off the Kerry coast and concluded just off Kinsale in Co. Cork.

The boat, a ‘relatively small’ yacht, was boarded by gardaí and the trio arrested over potential drugs offences. However, senior sources said that, as of last night, no drugs were recovered from the yacht.

The three men found on board – including two understood to be from Co. Louth – were last night being questioned.

The boat itself will now undergo a specialist forensic search operation.

While no drugs had been found on board the yacht last night, the trio were held under laws that allow for suspects to be arrested if there is intelligence suggesting they may have been involved in the drugs trade.

The Garda search of the yacht may take a number of days, with specialist marine teams expected to dismantle large parts of the hull.

Specially trained drug sniffer dogs will also be used in the search.

The three men are being held and questioned under drugs regulations, at Bandon Divisional Garda Station.

They can be held there for an initial period of 24 hours, however, if required, they can be questioned there for up to seven days.