A BULGARIAN man who admitted smuggling €21.6million worth of cocaine on board a cargo ship from Brazil to Foynes Port in Limerick was jailed for 10 years today.
Kamen Petkov had been in control of “such a large quantity of drugs that it was impossible not to conclude that thousands of lives would have been affected by such a volume”, Judge Colin Daly told Petkov’s sentencing hearing held at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court today (Tuesday).
Mr Petkov told Gardaí he had gambling debts of €37,000 and that he was to be paid €150,000 for managing the drug shipment on the Maltese registered vessel, the MV Verila, which docked at Foynes Port, County Limerick, on December 19, 2023, after it had journeyed from Brazil and Canada with a consignment of sugar and grain.
Judge Daly said Petkov (36) had “facilitated organised crime internationally for a significant reward” and he said Petkov’s debts may have made him more vulnerable to involving himself in the international criminal “enterprise”.
Detective Garda Adrian Cahill, Limerick Divisional Drugs Unit, gave evidence that the €21m cocaine haul was “pure cocaine, with a potential value of five times that amount on the street”, estimated at €105million.
Mr Petkov, who had no previous convictions, was apprehended by Gardaí after the ship was searched by Irish Customs officers who were acing on foot of a confidential tip off.
The customs officials found 12 bales of cocaine hidden in an air-conditioning room on the bulk vessel after it had docked at Foynes Port.
Mr Petkov, a married father of one, showed no emotion as he was led away to begin his prison sentence, which was backdated to December 22nd, 2023, the date he first entered custody.
More to follow…
