A shipment of sets and costumes destined for an opera performance in Dublin has been held up because of the discovery of over €500,000-worth of cocaine on a lorry transporting the goods. The driver - a Co Down man - has been charged with smuggling and remanded in custody.
The sets and costumes have been impounded leading to a delay in rehearsals for Opera Ireland's performance of La Traviataat the Gaiety Theatre due to start its run next month.
Customs and Excise in Britain say around 11 kgs of the drug were found at Dover port on one of three trucks transporting goods from Aachen in Germany. The estimated street value is £361,000 (€530,000).
The drugs were found hidden in a box during the search early on Friday evening.
The driver of the lorry Gerald Anthony Devlin (38) of 36 Ballyholland Park, Newry, Co Down was arrested and later charged with smuggling the cocaine. He appeared before Dover Magistrates on Monday, was refused bail and remanded in custody until next Monday. The sets and costumes on the lorry had been used for a production of the Verdi opera by the German state theatre, Theatre Aachen, who are co-producing the production in Ireland. The season is due to run from November 19 thto 27 th.
The sets and costumes must be adapted for use at the Gaiety and for dress rehearsals.
Mr David Collopy, ceo of Opera Ireland expressed concern about the possibility that the production schedule could be affected by the seizure.
"I am sure UK Customs & Excise along with the Gardai and Belgian police, can source where the drugs came from and release the shipment of costumes so there are no further delays to us going ahead with our winter production," he said.