THREE MEN were last week arrested at Waterford Airport after 50kg of cocaine with an estimated value of €3.5 million was seized from their aircraft, Gardaí have said.
One Lithuanian man in his 30s and two Swedish men in their 50s were arrested after arriving in on an aircraft that had flown from Belgium via an airfield in the UK on 23 February.
Prior to arriving in Ireland, the aircraft had landed in the UK where members of the UK National Crime Agency intercepted a car in the vicinity of the airfield.
Upon arrival in Waterford, the aircraft was met and searched by gardaí, personnel from Revenue and Customs, and a dog. Mobile phones and €9,000 in cash were seized.
The identities of the men were confirmed with the UK National Crime Agency, Interpol and Swedish police.
The three men on board were arrested for alleged offences under section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 and were detained under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 at Garda stations in the southeast.
A male was arrested by members of the UK National Crime Agency, subsequently charged, and he appeared before court.
On Sunday, 27 February, the three men were released and then arrested again on foot of European arrest warrants issued by Swedish authorities.
They appeared before the High Court in Dublin on Monday, 28 February, and were remanded in custody to appear again before the High Court on 11 March.
