MANILA (July 31, 2025) — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Monday that a Filipino seafarer has been sentenced to 18 years in prison in Ireland for his alleged involvement in a large-scale cocaine smuggling operation uncovered in 2023.
According to reports, the Filipino national was among eight individuals convicted by Ireland’s Special Criminal Court after attempting to smuggle 2.2 tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value of €157 million (approximately PHP 9.7 billion) into the country.
DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega disclosed that the seafarer initially received a 28-year sentence, which was later reduced to 18 years in recognition of good conduct.
The DFA did not release the identity of the Filipino crew member due to privacy and legal considerations.
This marks the second-heaviest sentence handed down among the group, following a Dutch national who received a 20-year prison term.
Undersecretary De Vega assured that the Philippine Embassy in Dublin continues to provide full consular assistance, coordinating closely with the seafarer’s legal counsel as the case proceeds through the judicial system.
The convicted individuals were all crew members of the MV Matthew, a Panamanian-flagged cargo vessel intercepted by Irish Army Rangers in September 2023. The ship, which reportedly departed from Curaçao, Venezuela, was seized upon entering Irish territorial waters.
The seizure is regarded as Ireland’s largest drug bust in history.
In addition to the Filipino seafarer, six other crew members of the MV Matthew were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 13.5 to 17.5 years.
