Revenue confirms disposal of the MV Matthew

Vessel seized in September 2023 when 2.2 tonnes of cocaine valued at €157 million were found.

Revenue confirmed the departure of the MV Matthew from the Port of Cork.

Revenue detained and seized the vessel under customs legislation in September 2023 following its interdiction at sea, when 2.2 tonnes of cocaine valued at €157 million were seized. This was the largest cocaine seizure in the history of the State and the largest in Europe in 2023.

The operation was carried out by the Joint Task Force comprising Revenue, An Garda Síochána and the Naval Service, with support from the Army Ranger Wing, whose members were authorised as Customs Officers before boarding the vessel by fast rope from an Air Corps helicopter in international waters. They secured the ship and prevented the destruction of critical evidence.

An Garda Síochána arrested six crew members from the MV Matthew and two men aboard the associated vessel, the Castlemore, which later sank off the Wexford coast. All eight were convicted and, on 4 July 2025, received prison sentences ranging from 13½ to 20 years.

The detention and seizure of a vessel the size of the MV Matthew was unprecedented in Ireland and represented a significant disruption to international organised crime.

Although disposing of the vessel became a priority following its seizure, the process could not begin until December 2024 while it remained required for evidential purposes. Its previous use in international drug trafficking also meant that complex legal, regulatory and international requirements had to be satisfied before it could leave the State.

As no owner came forward to claim the vessel, Revenue assumed responsibility for securing and maintaining it. Working closely with the Port of Cork, Revenue ensured the vessel was safely berthed and managed to minimise environmental, health and safety risks.

In December 2025, Revenue completed the registration of title with the Panama Maritime Authority, the vessel's Flag State. This enabled Revenue to conclude an agreement for the vessel's disposal.

Revenue estimates that securing, maintaining and managing the vessel cost approximately €17 million. The MV Matthew was ultimately acquired by an international shipping company for a nominal sum of US$1 and departed under a single-voyage exemption as a dead-ship tow to Varna, Bulgaria.

While the costs associated with the vessel's detention were significant, Revenue's priority throughout was to ensure its safe management. The seizure of the MV Matthew remains an unprecedented and internationally recognised success in disrupting organised crime.

Revenue continues to work closely with domestic and international law enforcement partners, including the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics (MAOC-N), OLAF, Europol, and customs administrations across the EU and the World Customs Organization, to strengthen efforts to detect smuggling and disrupt organised crime.

As Ireland's customs authority with responsibility for border control, Revenue will continue to adapt its enforcement response to emerging threats and work with national and international partners to target the activities of organised crime groups.