A MASSIVE haul of cocaine worth £47 million was discovered hidden on board the Sea Mist, a converted trawler which was diverted en route to Denmark because of engine problems and berthed at East Ferry in Cork Harbour last September.
Some 600 kilos of the drug were found hidden in a dumb waiter concealed behind a spice shelf and cooker in the galley of the boat.
The Sea Mist left Venezuela with Mr Roman Smollen, Gordon Richards and Ms Teresa da Silva Roy on board. Near Trinidad, the drugs were dropped by air at night and put on board. It then sailed to Trinidad, where it picked up Mr Howard Charles Miller and Mr James Noel.
It arrived in East Ferry on September 27th and was spotted there by customs officers on the following day. It was noted that it was not flying the recognised flags showing where it came from. Nor had the authorities been informed of any health emergencies among the crew.
On Sunday September 29th, Customs Officer Richard Greenway, accompanied by armed gardai, decided to board the vessel and search it. On board were Mr Smollen, Mr Miller and Mr Noel.
The officers were told they had come into port because of a problem with one of the engines. They were to take the vessel to Denmark, leave it there and fly back home. They were being paid $100 to $150 a day, while the captain was receiving $20,000.
Those on board did not seem overly concerned about the presence of the officers and were cooperative and helpful. They said the boat was the property of Mr David Hunter, who had an address in the British Virgin Islands and was involved in the yacht charter business.
The boat was brought to Verolme Dock Yard and Mr Smollen agreed to navigate it there.
The customs officers searched the ship, accompanied by the sniffer dog Dusty, who became excited about a shelved area behind a cooker in the galley. The shelf was taken down and behind it were plastic packages containing a white powder which were removed. Tests done on the spot indicated the presence of cocaine.
A thorough search of the vessel revealed 599.5 kilos of cocaine: and the three on board were arrested.
It was learned that the girlfriend of the skipper, Gordon Richards Ms Theresa da Silva Roy, had also sailed on the Sea Mist with her two-year-old son, Edwin. The others did not initially reveal this because she had no passport and was in the State illegally. She was later arrested at Blarney Street, Cork.
The trial lasted more than three weeks, two of which involved legal argument in the absence of the jury about the admissibility of evidence.
Subsequently, Judge Murphy directed that Ms Da Silva Roy, and Messrs Miller and Noel be found not guilty of the charges against them.