Man Charged After €140k Cocaine Seizure in Limerick, £18.5m Seizure in Belfast

Authorities in Ireland and Northern Ireland have made significant cocaine seizures resulting in arrests. In Limerick City, Gardaí executed a search warrant at a residence in the Englishtown area, seizing approximately two kilos of cocaine valued at €140,000 and arresting a man in his 30s on drug trafficking charges. The seized drugs were sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis, and investigations are ongoing. Separately, the National Crime Agency in Northern Ireland seized 185kg of cocaine hidden in a heavy goods vehicle at Belfast Port, the largest Class A drug seizure in the region, with an estimated street value of £18.5 million. Bulgarian national Giorgio Panchukov, 55, was charged with aiding and abetting the importation of Class A drugs following the seizure. Both operations highlight ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and supply in the UK and Ireland.