Co Clare Cocaine: 5m euros of drugs found in 6ft 'torpedo'

A "torpedo" carrying more than 5m euros (£4.5m) of cocaine has been found on a beach in the Republic of Ireland.

More than 75kg of the drug were found near the tourist hotspot of the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare.

Revenue customs officers responded to a report from a member of the public about the suspicious device.

They believe it may have been attached below the waterline of a cargo ship or other sea vessel.

Small bales of cocaine, each about a foot long and weighing about 1kg, were found wrapped in plastic inside the 6ft metal tube on Monday.

A spokeswoman said: "It is not possible at this stage to say either where the drugs originated or their intended destination."

Officials said the alarm was raised thanks to a programme that urges people living in coastal communities, maritime personnel and people living near airfields to report unusual or suspicious activities.