Almost €170 million worth of drugs has been seized by Revenue so far this year, according to the latest figures.
The massive haul is more than double the amount seized in the same period last year.
Gardaí and Revenue have warned of a “significant increase” in drug seizures across ports, with vulnerable people being paid as little as €1,000 to fly into Ireland after ingesting up to 120 pellets of cocaine.
Total drug seizures by Revenue officers during the month of August alone amounted to almost €45 million.
This included a number of notable seizures over the course of several days in August, such as €10.5 million worth of cocaine at Dublin Port, and operations at Rosslare Europort which uncovered €7.2 million worth of cocaine and €16 million worth of cannabis products.
Over a 12-day period ending on September 9, Revenue officers at Dublin Airport carried out several “intelligence-led operations” which resulted in the detection of more than three million euro worth of cocaine and herbal cannabis.
This included 258 cocaine pellets, with a combined weight of about 3.9kg and an estimated value of €275,000, and 140kg of herbal cannabis with an estimated value of almost €2.8 million.
The seizures were made when Revenue officers stopped and searched a number of passengers who had disembarked separate flights originating from Brazil and Thailand, together with their luggage.
Nine people were arrested by An Garda Siochana, which is conducting follow-up investigations.
Michael Gilligan, head of customs in Revenue’s Dublin Airport branch, said there has been a “significant increase” in the amount of drugs seized at Irish ports.
On the smuggling of cocaine, he said: “Generally speaking, you’re talking about an individual concealing internally up to 100 pellets.
“That all obviously has to come out – and I don’t know why anybody wants to sniff it.”
Others have been detected ingesting up to 120 pellets of cocaine, with an average overall value of €70,000 to €100,000.
Speaking to reporters at Dublin Airport, Mr Gilligan said the safety of those who had “ingested or stuffed” the drugs for the purposes of concealment is a priority for the agencies involved.
He said cannabis is mostly concealed in suitcases.
The customs expert added there had been more than 800 individual drug seizures at Dublin Airport this year split across cargo and passengers, adding it was a “very serious problem”.
Superintendent Darren McCarthy, who has responsibility for policing Dublin Airport, said those trafficking the drugs are often “vulnerable people” who can spend up to a week in hospital after being detected with drugs concealed within their bodies.
He said people are typically paid the equivalent of €1,000-€3,000, which he said would be a lot of money given their backgrounds.
“They’re very vulnerable people in difficulty in their own societies,” he said.
Mr McCarthy said people detected in similar circumstances typically receive sentences of six to eight years in prison.
“Since 2022, there’s 100% conviction rate in relation to these persons appearing before the courts,” he said.
“We really believe this is dismantling and disrupting the drug trafficking and importation by criminals – it has been a huge success.”
Asked whether the agencies had any estimate on the amount of drugs entering the country without being detected and seized, Mr Gilligan said: “We’re by no means saying we’re getting everything.
“We’re working very diligently, deploying new technologies, new risk analysis systems, our collaboration is extremely significant.
“And obviously, if we knew what we weren’t getting, we’d be getting it.”
Mr Gilligan said Revenue had invested significantly in risk analysis of routes and packages.
Revenue and gardaí say they collaborate with national and international law enforcement partners in drug detection.
Customs officers use a variety of resources including dog teams and X-ray scanners.
Revenue warned those involved in trading illicit goods and products are using “increasingly inventive and complex smuggling methods and concealment techniques”.
There are projected to be 33 million passengers through the airport this year, while Revenue has processed almost four million customs declarations for cargo so far this year.
A record 302 million euro worth of drugs was ultimately seized by the end of 2023, following the high-profile seizure of €157 million of cocaine on board a cargo ship last September.
