Other News
French navy seizes almost 10 tonnes of cocaine off coast of West Africa
Read more on post.
ADVERTISEMENT
Two French navy ships seized almost 10 tonnes of cocaine valued at €519 million off the coast of West Africa on Monday, France’s Atlantic Maritime Prefecture has said.
In a statement released on Thursday, the French authorities said the “remarkable” drugs seizure was made possible thanks to “seamless cooperation by national and international actors.”
Ahead of the drugs bust, the French navy received intelligence from France’s Anti-Narcotics Office (OFAST) and the UK’s National Crime Agency.
It was also helped by the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (Narcotics) (MAOC-N), an initiative involving Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Portugal.
In total, the French navy vessels discovered 9.6 tonnes of cocaine onboard an unflagged fishing boat on Monday.
The two ships that seized the drugs were deployed as part of France’s Operation Corymbe, a long-running naval mission in the Gulf of Guinea that combats piracy and drug trafficking.
Admiral Nicolas Vaujour, the head of the French navy, said it had intercepted 45 tonnes of cocaine in the area in the first eight months of the year, the highest amount on record.
This figure included the French navy’s seizure of nearly 6 tonnes of cocaine from a fishing vessel in international waters off the West African coast on 29 August.
That operation followed intelligence sharing from the UK and the US, and support from the Brazilian police and MAOC-N.
“The success of this operation underscores the effectiveness of international cooperation in tackling large-scale maritime drug trafficking and preventing narcotics from reaching European markets through the transatlantic route,” it said about the 29 August seizure.
The coast of West Africa is a key transit route for drugs, particularly cocaine being brought from South America to Europe.
The third-largest cocaine seizure in the world last year was made in the Gulf of Guinea, with the French navy capturing 10.7 tonnes of the drug.
In 2024, piracy and armed robbery incidents in the Gulf of Guinea had dropped by 90% from 2020 levels.
However, the European Union Institute for Security Studies warned in a report published in January that the region was still beset by problems.
“While the piracy threat in the region appears to be waning, other illicit activities are thriving. Its geographical location makes it an ideal gateway for illegal trafficking towards Africa and Europe, including narcotics from Latin America,” it said.
Other News
Bodies of five suspected migrants found in desert in northern Libya, aid groups say
Read more on post.
{$�QI!8,im-Vup̜{l{F^%g8
vMlu!ؓiiվ-;MqTgՀϏӧ~M*3y_iZ[ס˝quekvש5ZJV&`Sfs]/OۥLaS
V$TZ^J
{F:[S(_TBb9tg֮Z;P9ԻEw)Pܫ~`U&~,{կq?FסWOɎJ&~^N_5xTU(“չ ^n?0O_Tʫ~D_5ȲݙӑJ>a5Q蝭N&_~’tedAAC!=vEKBBAz[‘2`=|”ŞkeAׯW3^&*n^y7;|Ǘ’i66PQ#Ml;SW4Y줸?]Hˀ>N9ڼDSX4M`[}: GHKX3mF*Ո0mXx”cZY~]Eƒdm7KL]$Kŋ,Mf1NWM�5T.RLB{@l_SDYOT9ED۠e͖sM WX81 #q+PSDŽ,C8T@@GY
k?>j!=bzhأW�8wj8-QXf”8gω�DWO
Wixc*8Qll
j9[јTO;V5#Ь6Rv7ZM,
.a*8W.!
xR
%`9.e٪”e2g0;>M6@_�f`ZPSr%}AXgB1SR>PRNDVzytkxK(F-ur`C=ɚyABM72[H)9cݱZ*uӯ(i4BQ(M/Cӆ6=uJ;CBc23aݱa}[s,,f .X(Y%!,_ )@O不7G3@|&.f2qjQ7wÀ˪kqŇ~e x2xc'”x3
,Uh%rYկ;/K!Α;,Q[8Xg6г߾ɵ{틲`Ο;ZAֳ/dA7A/JA&JfSkwמuJow!Ml7{ftu#q#8wa$o%CVo;qQwԹ۵wۡ_{$^9c=_uşnS:r)7.^]kg|Y@~ہ?pvovxwo!#YQܮm{w{Կѻ_{N[u~ܾ{#T1[[|G۵WpbnУ~0yRu俰cr◒Hz”AC;mdCԥL^?IU#ڙ,&vY7Է{4h3}_|2W9}0n
ccc
zfۅ’ucO^'[EzOKy}’ݮ;}}mo0Ǘ7pͬ.;/>>:5;)O}[6Nٺ|C۽ {mo۽KżŖץvuݔ
nn”|c4Fw.MfVأOxx;[x3jd}Ќ/pXnl~=s{a-Rn,#Aڠfmu,+
V@4v۶=J.x 7[‘kV~y==”>lV qiBLA%�”%a[[:l?*0�v`�̤ixx:smL֎E%_ Yk!s>s֢jEWuUB
BfPk J}N.Tڷ:&hk(0L
ĽDN@WNcMkJ.�O+@nwuGIUuP1e)!nU(Ҍr[yTP:c[
.`8M]V[Bc^6׆4(оvIAϕDeq!
7
Q|K�5si”
0)1rA[=ց8Džh�{LS(^$QQ?
,r!-+%-Ka)B@ÊBpHk!UFWeq+eҢ~-cUpU:5ZY
Jמ+c%蹥~By{jZrцv+T?k’$(.o*
r�J “h!ׄt+QBsᬥ
JQ͍>;U#pA^k2Fe~̊jM-7^K {j!͝lnsVa1 S/(3FnqB$EԤ�ꉬJ�%-fd}ZqJY “”**)+#F?”r鏎m,>”{{}2.
{#smYYl0 QW[*FK/+k.ΡIIbɁfA’}4ujL`
cumL)e9)墖
>khT!
}&bqH;5@FSٹ^n]!PzKeX1e!e1�%aLr”ހOK�ҟ]Vx`ԓv6NP
s m֖*1UƾnlEwވ^=Z2%n?X[SϪ$RiJ7::4E5F;䠸0qap$C
j�`==S`X5d1IZޏgU=2L٦=MJp+neY
+6dd~²+(ò&,cr4P1Ce+j^6f!gʓl*fӛE4䠱L0
b”Vmv?%S5~
z3hwOX4.ZVQq~cH}GYx*rjw`QDKڳé”~ %z,招N1
&t5bͧmiVطh+VPN&эs^IQ_pvCVb+D9Dx&xoUmJSb]O>!s+_IF)sr
WC]9 y]oMs-f;ͺpZ
{(c>lyhPi[+y’6yc}Lc!xv7H
r_]=dYviº’6
!a Rłn,[&s_tksc1n!O{d͘++G-=ާf;Yzݼkn{F8E)6(P”3Cl~Vf0{,ZGt4!#
GC8Xqb~*u偗%.kRkIkS746O`K [>AQl,W$Yʦ”t0M+g-gqWh4tkƷ{�LwtW0;@kH!diEV*Hb%m&`j(drl}1OQTbQb+ u-[z%r^wO/yk:oX[͐%1SVϕ[tLx]~NCP%�hYȯh{j]TUQeg_j睻T%Vh)&YGַ2=(t,7өƺC8nidÎOMj2|n[DlVP`ګm5Fz[}8ǘ
5EO]|?H)Nv;ݞ$І#TKl` grQ&w@n@Za`E|iPЦ1v@W`/2{pҵcc8}nOmJ.!F9f0.f1bV[;Q?2oljdogn}q*Dsp/i&Xt1cJ60cʟt9g?5�ƃtN}wҕ33幞{c’qWV#xaԨ’r
q`~oë`TaqB&a6r߯0WQ@+(Mo13M3
V`gfhB#v;L6%)VpDv[e1jϴRhbGh7q_5F`Pаo&Mq
rT
#.އaǺvl&om;˶X4Б’6`ܨ[0!>ow
4fZ+Nw`Q%|U!=⣿
Ei~I=}eir4^JD
PNS”a
j;7kD�h:-t|&k3]P5-l4=BSsM1[-BclRplXz;}_`’1
nȴ
yX(螑B@6I>!%~`׃S/lZɧլca?%QɾfAUA1ѫ>fVE阀z,e I>k29qL poacon,[4K-#K=3af@TmIѳtif蝳;;xMn>`-~sO.Dޏ)B*azVs”
R¦ץ31L>Ժi҂[}m~f0(fw]}>}2ޖ3|Q5�7h%saC۵>GCWA8ȍ*ZFUSF1?ĂH0ȪC1%(*̀M|Z#
E{6~`e;
}SD8Fp0߫}K’ri(ڰQ ]EmN9.wm[^�.8NN4^8FCwe;̙xsT7*$%a02wTn>ai”a3!v!MN
bKCC5
iA*F`x0B2)sx8Y/s”bCo”_`TR9Dѫ⟊D{,jm!m”ZWh$la|{.Vz|-
I
$EUL~P9OO�$ $ZegT6ǡkR]F`ǫL2*P̲&=yZKQ9xFvIq5ҾsOIy %L ViA*O
&�hV!3aWڮ#”R:;E7{VnS[8)Qc~10ߚɱ/a3
Nݦ`o㌗
^QazÿƜVň.O0ĩh=Ah;CVۨj[pBoJbx͞zo{R}Ki8d%”Pm
oJ(*$Nq4T@Y^=[ć�jxߛoAUP0+�g”‘X
sSn|/rcgQ@rrkDV0،4KTK+ UBp,]3[5#>lGh=p4^K[B2ҡs߮%RDڻnC)Tt_إ5|@-KPR^]?.M|JܼF! [5U,(Ao%w1niP*uhl牙?U/”:·_u>G.R6ǒn]Kp)W>5 䑠v-`H%*^BGu/sQɒ,p}7�CtvmJ;’woem.0SǮ0@uiv&lH(PKi
JI/”ғQ+*Wjծ$yZ9v-c=u(X.h.
*;ӡU{xmle{*AySg2jE;2rNR;#’Aq}Z=ɵ]PpΟ@8 |fIVlr5%~kΧԞWv抂>RD”`@N#̂k b,QPY]Y،4Lبh`i˻i.vXϟ4Z k&PE>yU]oBRlF:4ɵ!Jjf+iʬU۠8P /-0{Q)>%wC&gكaץr}i.y/5q%K30lLp4rK&AȠ|!P}f2;D]ҵm-“K7;”/DSGFjW8F.Ç+/u{Ka’Sss8阫TZd5צCuZ8E:EPރHH’n(UT۱ƣlP8
I’,]+jK[r{
l=Zש84cQWMUc/l`qg|Qz[o@h.T
SQ.vb*xDZl=G0`
DZl1@*Í:ؠWT߂jS lgI4|C^2*yq&1>G;A:
Np56)1|KܛlĞo3O9={֩P^CC?Ai
ޡ
4βS’/�,N, ÑޒsJ*gz@[,-xGVN@�ViJhAໂFgyBdl&N
Pez2&hp#:OLUprr-“P]4g:k0cn|�EGmnyf
2d*wAR!5| j^+ emhK-5XŕmDϲ>Wl!%bw
oFw/fJ.fF &3TM_OU3CЙn-%dJ],0e.tu1t&~|!h].�/(#E^o7{п52GnAI7:e3ho
sOfuS{‘yqBDs§I�s~* ;):;~YӒQT>>PCmLtZsXjӃ}R-vcU6R%L~yVgYO%[q:y?J]y{?2%#yܓTPh*IGP
園zx;8wwtIOI2v:W+L�p=:ׂ*@`duU6
eva ;cZ%AKمUf
d/Xc
L؏7ޠs>s3>k~'[صpݶpwpVGՐ-Tk7ifC&h2nGX{+
g3n!n’KQxQkO({Frˉd’ɮE
X5GT00T4&=vQó#ֆ1q[q.՞FCxy~3!H{
K:ȤuL(kћV7gCҦ2Б?JFM]?CSye5AK:N᳨�UJ|~Gd”;%+ǚdMdMmGAD2gšxK8V/#~KO]AȰqKK,Ꭽ5FQ[$~NRnDCp7;JU+ben[$9ȖV@/
xc}S%Ya¹%M#n>ZҁiV僽8#uE?~mRQF]e#-zTZ6HD’LY;Xa-`ꍒm~VP,Vw+ݢI`S=ڙQq>k
PsÐcZ/giC:E0E+`+”ă4CGzUsnK|0;S`wXaHޓO̜NY$2~s
̓~GWeVi;AYt=2x�m6ɍ#L;FVddC(Iar R|w�zY꒺A=z2s}d}Jy+̊_e⭛”-sZjǹ5cEgꡗ^vťmkH”N*+;`,-#9Dk##N|N1X|Dg(hLq”Ґkx>l=&-D;e2}Y1Vs8/w8A.gRPhx’:0A ¡fTE’Ujt[,”Y?ӡok?sjQB5,{ROu8lWd{9A̠gfƻaF
K>ң9b!Ɨ”`#RP1MY)dch!DGZ{IOHic
&Q`7@~D=-2j%S}”L”V$ͺ3Rxz=qJjA>e?$NY$(/(Yћt*!9#ڗe0?
B|bEٕ>wϨ+rcov5U)TBS&L0R!)JEշJofed!aDJ;c
e3RvTH-WH-(?|!TfNlTF[H}+NH[,;Z80ݲ(ݫOJW6ؑhaǧg
/ 3lq;9O#kq}ߑTjr
|jD|>GW=Zj7WHjX|jsY[JOt Gg�#_WF” ~䫶?r21i9 by nvahO{-6cl[tb_}Z,
lpl#Wn}dL7qW,JCpGbAHTȁǷzTL= WMR12Wc1u+� _?LIG
Vo܅�$oA
[A ܁ArmX!8>20�-ϰ+U> �C2M! `0″iq4N7S3بa1k9QP7e7o֮yYg(>[GBŽPR>R= CݤQ-}edM� c) $O՜Ab1%lJ)+E/dnj3XhYx4V,1)”`l~?C||4Eχ,jvT-DtƣC#VdHuoEɠy$Us]GfyL O’gth8!uk?8y?htK[t3HO!akpVXAbEO(7}ȸ:fa
,1″1,N-̜X3e
2QZvJjiXe[$ۑ’@E.”=ƬĺG3˼Hg_WTte-#Fy0fbTݲ8;с3#q
,##q*4cedO1;(+82C#/gj鰳5=|`am;̍| Ҳ7r=#Xl_Xy _&G^
7#wFG^qxUM|Y3ّO$UDg�-AQUP2=dlD4iR缗ct0^u~na
`Z5oh
EQP1d_ DJxn@kP’XT6,AP}R6o0_928aW”ٝڥ+=?ZH QP+cܟύEW8?Ϫ)fd.s^s”t8A&0?a$fZj>Axfp)ǐn�M:h1:@J5ǚrk0rFiՑP`Q�’4lhVд#^hO!+^k!j&-6nhr3ށ]upۼc;sαZ6ya27p1p% 7uhXo^�P*ɐ-WRVl4qq9:8{sntuu81.[ZB
+̠-^z?}d}X٘=Phv~?Q(zo7.wc0P6,0%i
�x$�&Dfc$i7;Gm8~7y~Jw*3l>P$ER)]&20l=/VGZҾ~5(Dս
Ì7[&%jv3sZpt).:ĺ+G-OBC圐ϗôYdމ”ԏ]u)jf!UL9x9,d3N?A/LٳGs}.R19H9s L{>ۤBUpv(“n!c8P ”
Y
a*)W%;Oh{Tlٙ՟-}icj-rK”ԸhPKmZWU]PϺhUćuLSD&tsҐk˹:dl8~yɯS.P_Z֩vKV*Y%*e(
)2ͨ͒%y=M+e?ZW`aXk~lSF%gZpMyaCX}-XtS֚.hukYcVkIix0X$GtG7k*B}5gPUD]zMc?,8/v{Q~lޕa!|*3yеY%/lM{b �P8ʢדZj*;zX{>硯VTYׂ6s7x|]jKS.]JXh)czYE+5u1?`+CSxp:AwUoJSTz4m:ÉVzWJ’MȂ6}h93&A*!d7t’snࠏΓ~:6Z5A̴:$+:q8 It%pd(‘dM#s#qU-
RWm u1W˂Ҙmpܮ”O3z@Q^}!Η;0Tji˜:d.Tu5(O+ߐAp0yELQ l”mrJ)*,Xe3M*18y6|[lԯ) Fýd4#
{r ԓ{$ AR+$ߍTKl[Z3E}*MLwf}hXE{-;$.4cj=|mp”*;
vZrƕҫ ZcGOl2tIYp.^q&s6_8m#}SlSVa(aսIWgIt̆^Ǵōԧ+g(!vV”q!x5߬ShA( m$+yg>]7�֎+pHǹVrZ
1o,oԨl1O“3*W6 “#Ѝ 2w2dO:N8D-u=#+hFxlc]3ұ
9ZpӰK]s[=Bօdopc.8!1zI[tQ1BJ,U7c^gsϕgQ:Sa
co?żcC’.>5n0JS]}I;m3’Vv]rpfd9o`NlF|ϙ9FV!2Y$&IR(SՊMhA^aP@nܣȠs][IfxDͭ~!9:c(-wbDX}:C=dҲk>kg68٬VvE@vѱQ/&Q5re� f{~O1|585xu8xp傜�?qVH9@QYzV]?RkɥbLcڑ”peHIܣ@
ʞ1)bmf�t[6C)
hҩ(zm#;;5Z.>3q
խaHUV�%oCH 9:O]r+4j*ʨ`qCZ3&IEV[0k^zH&($LiAi`nXXEa_ j|U^|(s8ײE$9PE߬+4O8`E B?V #3mPGIгVV嘡紥آ&X0Z:&sr9 #fzϙvKU]svj+-IBs �Ma|qZ|u_ћMž7$HEo+ZU8~*ͻͯ,[cNǥ. sbFgYӟ=YYuS_Q,L)fQ5ƍ”qv=YF CRJ02uKr٨XA3U#sHXHX�k_Ou_U8**8�y(q,vyUFƪOq”xr(ZPݥsijJ:!S¸?L!)HXZ{Ra
v>p/
܃i?_cpp 5_ImO9OǷHv8ʋx-KOk9u:݉:2|׳?%ݎ;FD ܾ>k7:KĝZ ~nNES
9:zg⎉lEϱoCvhoK˛ү”(O¢7J{j8″տ|=>ώJͯ16$$/_8Nb_z&N>?fSde^OCp-im8$QmE]C?q^BFg$o,/O2”;”FLnQ2FnJF
80. 7Ճqi?¡P=8Ts*,lc߾I=”*”EʓˮOQiٜTr>Dn7ks]ꟊ>G;U/S3!”b)߃pN{6W~j=&JjN[
1xxiJgUذl4g/Ψ\]_䂮.Cv7
Other News
Americans in town for the NFL game told us they don’t think Dublin is expensive
Other News
Garda pleads not guilty to dangerous driving after Brazilian man’s leg severed on M50
Read more on post.
A garda accused of dangerous driving causing serious injury to a Brazilian delivery man whose leg was severed at the M50 in 2023 pleads not guilty, a court has heard.
João Henrique Ferreira, 24, who had lived in Ireland for five years, had been assisting friends in locating a stolen bicycle when the incident allegedly occurred on a slip road to the motorway in Tallaght. Following a probe by Fiosrú, the police ombudsman (formerly Gsoc), criminal proceedings commenced against Garda Neil Doyle of Dundrum Station.
He was first summonsed to appear at Dublin District Court on May 8 on a charge of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm at Junction 11 north on the M50 on October 28, 2023. The court had ordered the prosecution to provide defence solicitor, Liz Hughes, with disclosure of evidence “as soon as possible” and adjourned the case.
The Director of Public Prosecutions directed summary disclosure in the District Court on a guilty plea. Otherwise, it would have to go to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers.

(Image: Collins)
On Thursday, Ms Hughes told Judge Michele Finan that, having received significant disclosure of evidence, she could inform the court that it was a not-guilty plea. The officer was present but remained silent during the proceedings.
Judge Finan noted the defence position and adjourned the case until January 12 for prosecutors to complete and serve a book of evidence on the defendant, and to grant a return for trial order.
Mr Ferreira had travelled back from Brazil for the proceedings on earlier dates but was not required to address the court. He did not have to attend on Thursday.
At a previous stage, the judge was told Mr Ferreira “was anxious for the court to hear from him about the seriousness of the injuries” and he was due to undergo further prosthetic surgery over the summer. When the prosecution first came before the court in May, the defence had sought disclosure of prosecution evidence “as soon as possible” so the garda’s legal team could “consider his position”.
Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
-
Culture2 days ago
Taylor Swift’s new cinema outing generates more than €12million in just 24 hours
-
Politics2 days ago
European Parliament snubs Orbán with vote to shield Italian MEP from Hungarian arrest
-
Culture2 weeks ago
Life, loss, fame & family – the IFI Documentary Festival in focus
-
Health3 days ago
EU renews support for WHO’s Universal Health Coverage Partnership
-
Culture2 months ago
Fatal, flashy and indecent – the movies of Adrian Lyne revisited
-
Culture2 days ago
Twilight at 20: the many afterlives of Stephenie Meyer’s vampires
-
Environment6 days ago
Key oceans treaty crosses threshold to come into force
-
Culture1 week ago
Farewell, Sundance – how Robert Redford changed cinema forever