Cocaine Bust in Irish Waters: 'Verila' Ship’s Bulgarian Crew Members Sentenced to 10 Years

Two Bulgarian sailors, Kamen Petkov, 36, and Nikola Penchev, 34, have been sentenced to 10 years in prison in Ireland for their involvement in a cocaine trafficking scheme. The two men were detained in late 2023 after Irish authorities intercepted the cargo ship 'Verila,' owned by the NAVIBULGAR company, in Irish waters. Approximately 300 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated value of 30 million euros, were discovered on board.

Despite the minimum penalty for cocaine trafficking of such magnitude being 13 years, the sentences were reduced to 10 years due to Petkov and Penchev’s cooperation with investigators and their full confessions, which aided in the apprehension of four additional suspects involved in the criminal network.

The ship was seized on December 19, and all 18 crew members, including 17 Bulgarians and one Ukrainian, were initially detained for questioning. However, only Petkov, the second engineer, and Penchev, the helmsman, remained in custody to face charges of drug trafficking.

Authorities reported that the cocaine was concealed in waterproof bags equipped with life jackets to maintain buoyancy and a GPS beacon to facilitate tracking. The method of concealment, described as sophisticated, indicated the involvement of a well-organized criminal operation.

Irish law enforcement emphasized the importance of the cooperation provided by Petkov and Penchev, noting that their statements were instrumental in advancing the investigation and securing further arrests in connection with the drug trafficking operation.