'Significant deterrent' - men jailed over conspiracy to import cocaine worth millions

The Special Criminal Court has jailed seven cocaine smugglers for terms between 10.5 years and 12 years, with the presiding judge saying she must impose a "significant deterrent" to international criminal operations that use Ireland's coastline to import drugs, causing immeasurable damage.

Imposing sentence, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor said each of the seven had travelled to Ireland to participate in serious criminality, providing their individual skills for the illegal operation that ended in the successful importation of an estimated €42 million worth of cocaine.

Ms Justice O'Connor said the circumstances of the case indicate the operation was planned by an international drugs cartel operating at a very high level.

She said there is a public interest in disincentivizing the use of Ireland's coastline for drug importation, which she described as "the worst form of criminality" and a "scourge that destroys lives, families and communities".

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It is "impossible to estimate how much damage and destruction" has been caused by the importation of such a large quantity of cocaine, the judge said, adding that the court must impose a "significant deterrent both globally and nationally", to such offending.

Three of the men were Filipinos on board a ship containing the drugs that travelled from Brazil and docked off the coast of County Clare.

Four others, with addresses in the UK, were part of "a landing cell" that was intended to collect the drugs via an inflatable boat and transport them to a location in County Kerry.

The seven men are Gary Monks, aged 41, of Amulree Place, Glasgow, Scotland;  Miljan Koprivica, aged 46, of Bollin Drive, Manchester, England; Conor Costello, aged 31, of Earhart Park, Madamsbank Road, Derry in Northern Ireland;  Ryan Watson, aged 32, of Mailerbeg Gardens, Modiesburn, Glasgow; and three Filipino men, Hanz Pangahin, aged 36, Christopher Ampo, aged 44, and 29-year-old Feljon Lao.  

All seven men had entered a guilty plea to a charge that on dates between December 18, 2024 and January 15, 2025, both within and outside the State, they did conspire with others to import into the State drugs in excess of €13,000.  

It is estimated that they imported between 400 and 600 kg of cocaine. The offences are contrary to section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.

The three-judge court imposed a prison sentence of 10.5 years on Costello, Watson, Lao, Ampo and Pangahin. Kopravica received a sentence of 12 years while Monks was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.