A multiagency initiative targeting the transport and supply of illegal drugs via the north west coastline has been relaunched.
The Donegal Divisional Coastal Watch aims to prevent and detect the importation of illegal drugs by promoting the importance of vigilance among coastal communities.
The initiative involves An Garda Síochána, the Irish Naval Service, Revenue's Customs Service, as well as communities along the coastline.
Assistant Commissioner for the North Western Region Cliona Richardson told RTÉ News that "time is of the essence" as "drugs can be dropped off quickly and quite remotely".
"Don't rely on other people to share the information and don't think that somebody else will say it. If you see something, report it because that time is very important," she said.
The launch heard that Revenue and Customs has seized drugs valued more than €350m at points of entry into the state in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies since January 2024.
Two packages containing 50kg of cocaine valued at €4.3m washed ashore in Fanáid and Dunfanaghy in July 2023.
Chief Superintendent of the Donegal Division Goretti Sheridan said that 2023 haul in north Donegal was "as a direct result of the community working with gardaí".
"Local fishermen and farmers will know what’s normal and what’s not normal on the sea. It’s those activities that need to be reported.
"People out walking, people renting out Airbnbs or bed and breakfasts or hotels, if there’s people coming and going that are acting suspicious, let us know."
The inter-agency initiative was first established more than three decades ago.
Head of Investigations, Prosecutions and Frontier Management for Revenue's Customs Service Tom Talbot said it is looking for the coastal communities "to be the eyes and ears of law enforcement on the ground to help stop drugs coming into the country".
The launch heard that a mother and daughter vessel strategy is one of the ploys used by drug traffickers, whereby a larger vessel drops off drugs at sea without stopping at predetermined locations that are then picked up by daughter vessels.
While highlighting suspicious activities, Maritime Operations Manager at Revenue and Customs Andrew Ryan said it is "very interested in old or decommissioned fishing vessels appearing around the coast with potentially crews on board that don’t appear to be that proficient or know an awful lot about operating vessels at sea".
"If members of the public see risk indicators around the coast, we would very much welcome that information on our confidential number," he said.
The relaunch of the Donegal Coastal Watch initiative heard that much of the coastline in northern Europe has been targeted for illegal drug importations and that much of the cocaine seized in Europe was transported by sea in maritime containers.
Coastal Watch aims to highlight suspicious such as unusual packages floating in the sea, on beaches or hidden close to the shoreline, crew making landings in remote areas, ships signalling ashore or being met by small craft and vessels operating at night without lights.
An Garda Síochána Coastal Watch Liaison Officer in Donegal Inspector Paul McGee said it is an issue of which it is always aware.
"Because of Ireland's geography, drug smuggling along our coastline is something that we are cognisant of 24/7, 365 days of the year.
"It requires a multi-agency response through Coastal Watch to keep at bay, and central to that is the public's awareness and how important it is to inform us of any unusual sightings and suspicious activity.
"It makes an enormous difference to our ability to target the criminals and organised crime groups intent on profiting from the misery that illegal drugs cause to ordinary people's lives in Ireland," Mr McGee said.
The Coastal Watch initiative aims to highlight suspicious such as packages floating in the sea, on beaches or hidden close to the shoreline, crew making landings in remote areas, unusual objects at sea or ashore, ships signalling ashore or being met by small craft and vessels operating at night without lights.
Gardaí said previous cases have shown that the information received from the public was critical in preventing harmful narcotics reaching vulnerable people and communities.
