Donegal Gardai search for further discarded cocaine after major find

Gardai believe that further drugs packages may have washed up along the Donegal coast.

On Wednesday morning, two packages were found at Ballyhiernan Beach, Fanad and Tramore Beach in Dunfanaghy.

An investigation, led by Gardai from Milford Garda Station, was launched with assistance drafted from the Garda Air Support Unit and the Garda Water Unit.

The packages are believed to contain an estimated 40 kilograms of cocaine, with a street value just shy of between €2.5m and €3m.

The drugs were packed into bales, encased in black plastic wrapping. One eye-witness said one of the packages was ‘the size of a suitcase’.

Samples have been sent to Forensic Science Ireland for formal analysis.

Detectives are believed to have been monitoring the potential trafficking of illegal drugs into the county in recent days. An operation was trained on marine vessels in the Atlantic Ocean and Gardai believe the packages were discarded from one such vessel.

With Donegal having 1,100km of coastline, officers will be under obvious constraints.

The packages located by two walkers early on Wednesday were washed up at two remote beaches. Tramore is particularly remote with visitors facing a lengthy walk across dunes from a car park.

This is the latest major find by Garda in the Milford District. In March 2021, detectives found 41 kilogrammes of cocaine in a van at Kilmacrennan. That stash was said to have been worth an estimated €2.8 million.

Officers will continue their probe into the find in a bid to establish the source and planned destination for the packages. The public have been urged to be vigilant.

A Garda spokesperson told Donegal Live: “An Garda Síochána in Milford are appealing to landowners in the Fanad Head area with coastal land and/ or any persons using the North Donegal Coastline over the coming days to be conscious of the packages that have been recovered today. 

“Any person who sees any similar package or any other marine debris that attracts their attention to contact An Garda Síochána at the investigation team at Milford Garda Station 074 9153060, their local Garda station or the Garda Confidential Phone number 1800 666 111.”