DUBLIN – Recent reports from An Garda Síochána indicate a dramatic shift in the Irish illegal drug market, with the price of cocaine soaring following several high-profile seizures. Detectives state that international traffickers are losing confidence in local dealers, leading to a supply squeeze and a subsequent drop in drug purity.
Key Highlights:
- Price Hike: Following the seizure of €157 million worth of cocaine from the MV Matthew cargo ship in 2023, the wholesale price for 1kg of cocaine jumped from €25,000 to €40,000.
- Purity Levels: To maintain profit margins amidst rising costs, street dealers are heavily diluting the product. Gardaí have reportedly seized cocaine in pubs with a purity level of less than 2%, meaning the substance was almost entirely composed of mixing agents.
- International Distrust: Det Chief Supt Seamus Boland, head of the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, noted that major cartels (including those linked to Daniel Kinahan in Dubai) have “pulled back” to investigate the security breaches that led to these massive losses.
- Ongoing Seizures: The trend has continued into 2025, with a major seizure of 150kg of cocaine worth €10.5 million at Rosslare Europort as recently as October 2025.
Authorities warn that the increased use of “cutting agents” to dilute the drug poses additional, unpredictable health risks to users.
