The trial of three men over the seizure of cocaine in west Cork has heard a claim that the value of the drugs is more than four times the €105m originally estimated.
Three men are charged with possessing more than 1.5 tonnes of cocaine in Dunlough Bay in west Cork last July.
At the opening of the trial in Cork, prosecuting senior counsel Tom Creed said the cocaine seized was found to be 75% pure, giving it a value of €440m.
On 2 July last year, 61 bales of cocaine were recovered from the sea in Dunlough Bay.
At the time the street value of the drugs was estimated at €105m, based on a purity of 10-15% and a price of €70,000 per kilo.
Mr Creed said organising and transporting the shipment was a major logistical exercise involving the purchase of three Land Rovers, two rib boats, satellite and other mobile phones and a hand-held GPS navigational device.
The prosecution alleges that a catamaran yacht, Lucky Day, was used to transport the cocaine to Ireland and two properties were rented in west Cork.
Mr Creed said the prosecution would provide evidence - some of it circumstantial - linking Perry Wharrie, Martin Wanden and Joe Daly to the property seized by gardaí. The three men are denying all the charges against them.
