The Daily Star Ireland
A Bulgarian man, aged 36, has been sentenced to ten years in prison for his involvement in the transportation and concealment of over €21.6 million worth of cocaine. The drugs were found on the MV Verila, a bulk carrier docked in Foynes harbour in December.
Kamen Petkov, an able seaman among the 18-member crew, was in charge when customs officers uncovered 308 kilograms of cocaine hidden on the vessel. The drugs, consisting of 12 bales with lifejackets and beacon transmitters, were intended to be dumped near Glin pier as the ship entered the Shannon estuary.
Petkov admitted to gardaí that he had ignored the drugs being loaded onto the ship in Brazil, which then traveled to Canada and eventually to Foynes. He concealed the drugs in an air-conditioned room and coordinated with suppliers to drop the packages at a specified location using coordinates provided on a mobile phone. He also enlisted someone else to assist with this task.
When no one showed up at the designated pickup point, Petkov abandoned the plan and re-hid the drugs. He was set to receive €150,000 for his role in the operation.
Judge Colin Daly, presiding over the sentencing at Limerick Circuit Court, deemed a ten-year sentence appropriate due to the significant quantity and value of the drugs and Petkov’s active participation in their international movement and concealment. He noted the potential harm from such a large amount of drugs and emphasized Petkov’s facilitation of organized crime for substantial financial gain. The sentence was backdated to December 22, when Petkov was first detained.
