Seven men jailed for 10 to 12 years over cocaine import conspiracy

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The Special Criminal Court sentenced seven men to between 10 and 12 years in prison for a conspiracy to import cocaine into Ireland.

Gary Monks received 10 years, while Miljan Koprivica was given 12 years. Conor Costello, Ryan Watson, Feljon Lao, Christopher Ampo and Hanz Pangahin each received 10½ years.

The men had all admitted conspiring with others to bring drugs valued at more than €13,000 into the State between December 18, 2024, and January 15, 2025.

At sentencing, Judge Karen O’Connor said the operation had resulted in the importation of cocaine worth an estimated €42 million. She said the circumstances pointed to an international cartel and that the sentences needed to deter the use of Ireland’s coastline for drug imports.

Detective Inspector Padraig Boyce had told the court that Pangahin, Ampo and Lao loaded between 400kg and 600kg of cocaine onto the MV Royal while it was docked in the Amazon. The other four men formed a group tasked with collecting the drugs using an inflatable boat and taking them to a location in Co Kerry.

Boyce said the separate groups were acting on instructions from others, with people higher up directing their actions.