THE sprawling Shannon estuary was placid and glass like as the drugs drama on board the ship longer than the Croke Park pitch went into its second day at Moneypoint yesterday.
The blue and white funnel of the 280 metre Front Glider was all that was to be seen from the roadway used by vehicles making their way to the Killimer ferry for the estuary crossing to Tarbert on the Kerry coast.
There was no visible Garda presence at the entrance to the ESB generating station at Moneypoint. That was concentrated on the hidden jetty area where the giant ship was berthed.
Unloading of coal from Colombia proceeded from the bulk carrier as security personnel stopped and checked all vehicles entering and leaving the station. Drivers were asked to open their car boots.
In the wake of the biggest ever (up to 50 kg) cocaine find in this country on Wednesday on the ship, curious onlookers arrived, had a look at the Swedish owned vessel registered in Singapore and then drove on. There were 38 packages found on the ship.
The Clare FM presenter Pat Ryan stood beside his mobile outside broadcast unit at the main entrance looking for action "which was all down there" and out of reach of the media.
One of the biggest tasks facing the search team was the enormous size of this vessel, which after unloading its cargo at Moneypoint could then to proceed to Norway to load a cargo of ore for the US before returning to South America. Sources said this was the normal route for a vessel of this kind.
Locals voiced their concern that, because of the rugged nature of the Irish coast, there was always the possibility that drugs could be passed on from 10 to 15 miles out to sea from large carriers to smaller boats.
The 150,000 tonne Front Guider was escorted into Moneypoint early on Wednesday morning by the naval vessel LE Clara, where it was bound with a 140,000 tonne cargo of coal.
The crew, consisting mainly of Colombians and Filipinos, were being questioned yesterday and the search of the ship is expected to continue today.
A Kilrush businessman, Mr Sean Dunleavy, who is chairman of Kilrush Urban Council, expressed shock at the size of the find, and urged the setting up of a permanent European anti drugs coastal service in the area. This had to be a priority, especially as the latest find was not an isolated incident along the west coast.
He said: "Customs officers could be redeployed in a new permanent unit to be set up in association with the Garda and other relevant authorities."
A former Cabinet minister and local TD, Senator Brendan Daly, said it was a successful operation that highlighted the international nature of the drug traffic business. There was a need for international as well as national action to deal with the crisis.
"The whole drugs scene is very bad internationally. That was recognised and established and is getting worse, and this was even more frightening. It's deteriorating almost by the day."
The illicit drugs market was highly organised and the very best of brains were employed with the very best equipment and technology. The biggest traffickers in the world today were running their operations without coming into contact at all with drugs, said the senator.
The west Clare senator Ms Madeleine Taylor Quinn called on coastline communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
She described the seizure as massive and extraordinary and complimented the Garda, Customs and Naval Service. "It's amazing when it is so close to one's own front door. All of us would want to know who exactly was involved, who the sources were and who exactly was importing and trafficking in drugs," she said.
The director of the National Drugs Team, Mr Liam Hurley, said the search operation was huge and at this stage about 50 kg had been found, but its purity had not yet been determined.
He said: "If the product was 20 per cent pure, which it was normally sold at on the streets, the value would be in the region of £10 million. It's highly unlikely that it is 20 per cent pure. It is more than likely to be 80 per cent pure and then it would be cut down to be sold on the streets at 20 per cent. If it's 80 per cent pure, you are talking in terms of £40 million."