The 2026 NRA provides a comprehensive, system-wide evaluation of the threats and vulnerabilities facing Ireland. It is intended to strengthen understanding of these risks across both the public and private sectors, supporting the development of targeted and effective mitigation measures. The assessment follows a structured, evidence-based methodology aligned with international standards.

P.48 Drug Offences

Rating Drug offences generate the largest volume of illicit funds in Ireland, with the final proceeds primarily being in cash. Ireland serves both as a destination and transit country for illegal drugs, with strong links between drug markets and domestic and international OCGs. The high volume of illicit funds generated by the drug trade necessitates a criminal infrastructure to facilitate laundering activities, and these groups systematically launder proceeds through complex financial channels, including extensive bank account networks, Informal Value Transfer Systems (‘‘IVTS’’), crypto-assets, and lifestyle-based laundering methods. As a result, drug offences are assessed as posing a significant ML threat.

Overview The EU retail drug market is estimated to be worth over €30 billion annually, making it one of the most lucrative criminal activities in Europe. Europe also shows the highest rates of people arrested, prosecuted, and convicted for drug trafficking and use or possession per 100,000 population.20 This immense scale reflects high levels of drug availability and demand, with Europe serving as both a major consumer base and a key hub for global drug trafficking. Around 83.4 million or 29% of adults (aged 15-64) in the EU are estimated to have used illegal drugs at least once in their lifetime.21 Ireland is both a destination for drugs produced overseas, as well as a transit route for onward distribution to nearby larger markets, including the UK and mainland Europe. Ireland has over 3,000 kilometres of coastline, and this, combined with its strategic Atlantic position makes Ireland an ideal entry point and transit route for international drug smuggling operations. While Ireland is not generally a drug production country, there is evidence that limited amounts of cannabis are grown domestically. Given the high value of the illicit drug market and the substantial criminal proceeds it generates, offenders exploit a broad range of ML typologies to conceal the origin of these funds and integrate them into the legitimate economy. In Ireland, drug sales to end users are predominantly cash-based, and cash-based ML typologies are therefore particularly relevant at the initial placement stage of ML.

Drug Production and Use Cannabis is the only illegal drug known to be produced in Ireland. It remains the most used illegal drug in the country, with 91% of those who have used drugs within the last 12 months having used cannabis.22 While there has been a shift towards homegrown cannabis, significant amounts of foreign-produced cannabis products are still seized by authorities. Current evidence suggests that synthetic drug production within Ireland is limited, and most seizures of synthetic drugs have originated from foreign jurisdictions. However, Ireland could start to see the emergence of local synthetic drug manufacturing, as the raw materials required for production become more available. Other European countries – including Belgium and the Netherlands – have significant domestic production capabilities. Based on the Healthy Ireland Survey 2023,23 7.3% of adults reported using illicit drugs in the past year, with cannabis being the most used (6.1%), followed by cocaine (2%), ecstasy (0.8%), magic mushrooms (0.8%), and ketamine (0.4%). While overall drug use levels remained stable compared to 2019–20 (7.4%), there were slight increases in cannabis and cocaine use, and a notable decline in ecstasy use from 2.2% to 0.8%. Additionally, 7% of respondents reported using sedatives without a prescription. These trends reflect evolving patterns in drug consumption across Ireland.

Drug Transit Through Ireland Ireland is a known maritime transit point for cocaine and other drug shipments destined for the UK and mainland Europe, often entering via routes from Latin America.24 These routes are exploited by transnational OCGs using both commercial and private vessels. The increase in maritime activity is consistent with patterns observed across all European countries with a coastline since 2022. See Table 12 for recent examples of drug seizures involving Ireland, which illustrate the country’s exposure to international trafficking networks and the diversity of source countries and smuggling methods. While it is difficult to quantify the total value of drugs transited through Ireland, high-profile cases, such as the €157 million cocaine seizure aboard the MV Matthew, highlight the scale of these operations and their links to transnational OCGs. Drug Seizures Since the publication of Ireland’s 2019 National Risk Assessment, where drug seizures were valued at €23.6 million, there has been a sharp escalation in interdiction outcomes. For 2024, the estimated value of drugs seized had reached €214.7 million, a ninefold increase, reflecting both the growing volume of drugs trafficked into and through Ireland and the success of targeted enforcement strategies by An Garda Síochána, Revenue, and international partners.  

[See Figure 1: Value of drug seizures (2020 – 2024); Table 12: Recent significant drug seizures ]

Law Enforcement Intelligence Ireland continues to face a significant and evolving threat from OCGs involved in drug trafficking, with cocaine remaining the most prevalent substance. Synthetic drugs are an emerging concern, with production hubs in mainland Europe, and Ireland is increasingly both a country of transit and an end-use market. OCGs involved in drug trafficking operate with corporate-like structures and exploit border vulnerabilities to maintain transnational networks and utilise a wide range of techniques to launder proceeds.