Eight men have been sentenced by Ireland’s Special Criminal Court for their involvement in a failed attempt to smuggle 2.2 tonnes of cocaine, valued at over €157 million (£135 million), aboard a Panamanian-registered cargo ship off the Irish coast.
The cocaine, seized in September 2023, marked the largest drug haul in Irish history and followed a dramatic naval operation involving the Irish Navy, Defence Forces, and Army Rangers, who boarded the MV Matthew in rough sea conditions. The vessel had departed from Curaçao, near Venezuela, and was intercepted in Irish waters.
Six of the convicted men were on board the Matthew at the time of the operation. Dutch national Cumali Ozgen received the heaviest sentence of 20 years. He was followed by Filipino Harold Estoesta (18 years), Iranian nationals Soheil Jelveh (17.5 years) and Saeid Hassani (15 years), and Ukrainians Vitaliy Vlasoi (16.5 years) and Mykhailo Gavryk (14 years).
Two others, British citizen Jamie Harbron (13.5 years) and Ukrainian Vitaliy Lapa (14.5 years), were arrested after being rescued from a trawler that ran aground while attempting to rendezvous with the cargo ship. All eight men pleaded guilty to charges related to the possession of cocaine for sale or supply.
The court described the operation as a “well-resourced and international” cartel-driven effort. Ozgen, identified as the shipboard coordinator and referred to as “Jimmy,” admitted to overseeing the loading of cocaine crates and attempting to destroy them as the LE William Butler Yeats closed in. Although promised between €50,000 and €100,000 for his role, he reportedly received no payment.
