On Wednesday, gardaí (Irish police) stopped and searched a vehicle and a residential property in the Allenwood area of Kildare and approximately 72kg of cocaine was discovered.

The men, aged in their 50s and 60s, were arrested in relation to facilitating and enhancing drug distribution activities for an organised crime group.

They were subsequently charged and are due before Naas District Court on Thursday.

Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis of Organised and Serious Crime said it “is another significant seizure of cocaine destined for the Irish market”.

“An Garda Síochána and our law enforcement partners are committed to targeting those engaged in drug related organised crime that leads to harm, intimidation and violence in our communities nationwide.”

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said on Monday that they had charged 11 men and two juveniles after tracking a fishing boat that allegedly travelled to meet a mother ship loaded with cocaine off the coast of Queensland.

After the boat broke down 18km (10 nautical miles) off the coast, police carried out multiple arrests and seized 2.3 tonnes of cocaine with a street value of 760 million Australian dollars ($494m), the AFP said.

The arrests followed a months-long investigation prompted by a tip-off that a motorcycle gang was planning to smuggle drugs into the country, AFP Commander Stephen Jay said.

“We know that criminals go to extreme lengths, and often risk their own lives, to smuggle drugs into Australia with no regard to the harm they cause to Australian communities,” Jay said.

“This alleged attempt to collect more than two tonnes of cocaine from the ocean shows that criminals will do anything for their own greed and profit. Anyone involved in these at-sea trafficking enterprises is not just risking their freedom – they’re also risking their life.”

 The arrested individuals, each of whom was charged with conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs, were expected to appear before court on Monday.

They face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if convicted.

In 2023-24, Australian police seized 31.3 tonnes of illicit drugs and assisted international authorities in seizing 41.8 tonnes of drugs, according to the AFP.