Cocaine is being shipped in small packages from Ireland to Australia, where the drugs gangs can maximise their profits, according to a senior customs official.
Michael Gilligan, head of customs at Dublin Airport, says multi-agency taskforces believe the drugs are being trafficked to take advantage of that market.
New figures from Revenue show there were 9,541 drug seizures in Ireland up to November 30 this year, worth €203.6m. The quantity was 53,192kg.
Mr Gilligan told the Irish Examiner there was a huge amount of international coordination between Irish customs officials and European agencies to try and stop the illicit trade coming from South America, which is then moved on to markets in Europe and further afield.
The drugs are being shipped “by any means” to Australia.
Mr Gilligan said: “You have major organised crime games involved in the drugs trade here and they have contacts, and they have knowledge, and they know what you’re going to get in any individual market.”
Mr Gilligan also said there was a situation in south America at the moment “where the price of cocaine, gram for gram, or kilo for kilo equates with the price of cannabis”.
“So, there is a reciprocal that is going on between Europe and South America where for every kilo of cocaine that comes over, it’s paid for with a kilo of cannabis.”
Revenue officials and gardaí are also working with Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (Narcotics) (MAOC (N) in Portugal as part of a European crackdown on the importation of cocaine from South America into Europe.
The two enforcement bodies have their own officers in MAOC who are watching the movement of drugs.
“You have movement from South America to West Africa up through there into Ireland and the rest of Europe. The focus from all the countries involved is to develop intelligence and throw it into an international pot.
Recent figures from Revenue show in September alone, €40m worth of drugs were seized at Dublin Airport, while the main drug being smuggled is cannabis.