Gardai are hunting for a boat from which they believe almost €3million of cocaine was dumped off the Co Donegal coast in recent days.
It is understood Gardai had received information on the vessel but it had left its berth before it was put under surveillance last weekend.
However, it is believed smugglers became suspicious they were being tracked and dumped the consignment overboard.
So far two of those packages weighing approximately 40 kilogrammes have washed up – one at Ballyhiernan Beach in Fanad and the other at Tramore in Dunfanaghy.
The packages, wrapped in plastic plastic and tied with rope, washed up between 8.30am and 9am at the remote beaches yesterday.
But Gardai still do not know how many, if any, other packages may be floating around the sea off Co Donegal or may have been washed up along Donegal’s 1,100 kilometres of coastline.
The large quantity of drugs discovered on a remote beach in North Donegal. (NW Newspix)
The Garda Air Support Unit and the Garda Water Unit along with other state services will scour that coastline in the coming days in the hunt for more suitcase-size drug hauls worth millions of more euro.
A Garda spokesperson confirmed “Assistance will be provided by the Garda Air Support Unit and the Garda Water Unit, along with other state and voluntary services to search along the North Donegal/ Fanad Head Coastline this evening and in the coming days.
“An Garda Síochána in Milford are appealing to landowners in the Fanad Head area with coastal land and/or any persons using the North Donegal Coastline over the coming days to be conscious of the packages that have been recovered today.
“Any person who sees any similar package or any other marine debris that attracts their attention to contact An Garda Síochána at the investigation team at Milford Garda Station 074 9153060, their local Garda station or the Garda Confidential Phone number 1800 666 111.”
Samples of the drugs seized yesterday have been sent for analysis by Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) but Gardai say they suspect the substance is cocaine.
The first package found at Fanad was discovered by a walker at around 8.30am washed up against sand-dunes.
The second at remote Tramore Beach which accessible only by foot across sand-dunes was found at the edge of the water having being washed in.
A man out walking around 9am saw the package and then dragged it up the beach and tied it to a plank of wood which he buried in the ground to stop it from being washed back out to sea.
The investigation is being overseen by officers at Milford Garda station.
