MV Matthew’s Three-Year Odyssey Ends | Cork News

Cork News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 18, 2026 · 1m

The MV Matthew, a drug-smuggling vessel seized off Cork in 2023 with 2 tonnes of cocaine worth €157 million, has finally sailed away—sold for €1 to a Bulgarian shipping firm after nearly three years of costly upkeep. Irish authorities spent €17 million to maintain and secure the ship, which cost €120,000 weekly to keep afloat. Boarded at gunpoint by the Army Ranger Wing, eight crew members were convicted and sentenced to over 129 years. The ship’s disposal was delayed until legal hurdles were cleared, including international registration with Panama and environmental safety checks. This case…