Eight Men Arrested in a Record €157 Million Cocaine Smuggling Scheme Off the Irish Coast
Eight men are imprisoned for their roles in the biggest narcotics seizure in Irish history, a €157 million cocaine smuggling attempt off the Irish coast.
Due to their involvement in a botched effort to smuggle 2.2 tonnes of cocaine, valued at over €157 million (£135 million), onto a cargo ship registered in Panama off the coast of Ireland, eight men have been sentenced to prison.
The largest seizure in Irish history took place in September 2023 and required a bold military operation in perilous marine conditions.
The Irish Navy and Defence Forces intercepted the MV Matthew in Irish waters after it sailed from Curaçao off the coast of Venezuela. Army Rangers abseiled onto the ship. Out of the eight individuals who were sentenced, six had been on the ship.
The heaviest sentence was 20 years for Dutch national Cumali Ozgen, followed by 18 years for Filipino Harold Estoesta, 17.5 years for Iranian Soheil Jelveh, 16.5 years for Ukrainian Vitaliy Vlasoi, 15 years for Iranian Saeid Hassani, and 14 years for Ukrainian Mykhailo Gavryk.
Following their rescue from a trawler that ran aground while prepared to rendezvous with the Matthew, two further men, Ukrainian Vitaliy Lapa (14.5 years) and UK national Jamie Harbron (13.5 years), were convicted for their actions. Each of the eight guys entered a guilty plea to counts of possessing cocaine with the intent to sell or supply.
The smuggling effort was characterized by Ireland’s Special Criminal Court as a component of a cartel operation with “international reach and unlimited resources.” According to what the court heard, Ozgen, also called “Jimmy,” served as the ship’s “eyes and ears” for the criminal organization. When the navy ship LE William Butler Yeats was pursuing the ship, he confessed to loading the cocaine crates and trying to destroy them. According to reports, Ozgen was promised between €50,000 and €100,000 for his role, but he never got it.
