The Garda’s most senior drug squad investigator said cocaine seized on the MV Matthew ship in 2023 increased the price of the drug on the wholesale market in IrelandLarge cocaine seizures in recent years have led to a surge in the wholesale price of the drug, resulting in some dealers reducing the potency of street cocaine in Ireland to try to protect their profits. Gardaí have seized quantities of cocaine offered for sale in pubs that was below 2 per cent purity, meaning the drug was heavily diluted and composed almost entirely of substances other than cocaine. The seizure resulted in a reduced supply of cocaine as drug traffickers decided to “pull back” on smuggling runs amid a loss of confidence in Irish drug dealers who encouraged them to route 2.2 tonnes of cocaine through Irish waters. More recently, however, cocaine seized by gardaí that had been offered for sale in pubs was below 2 per cent purity and the substance was mixed with other products, usually medicinal substances to bulk it up. Det Chief Supt Boland said people who bought the drug often did not notice because they were already drunk.

Source: The Irish Times December 27, 2025 15:06 UTC