A Quick Recap
In September 2023, Irish authorities intercepted the MV Matthew carrying nearly €160 million worth of cocaine — the country’s largest ever drug bust. At the time, Windward highlighted how maritime AI™ helped connect the dots on the vessel’s suspicious movements. Now, new developments shed light on an even darker layer: links between the Kinahan Cartel and Hezbollah, as reported by The Journal in July 2025.
But the real story goes deeper: not just in what was onboard, but in who was behind it.
The Front Company Illusion
Investigators found that the vessel was registered under Matthew Maritime Inc., a company supposedly based in the Marshall Islands. On paper, it looked legitimate, complete with a website and bold claims about an “expert team.”
In reality, there was no phone number, no email, no DUNS record. Even the listed address resolves to a remote road, surrounded by dozens of other mailbox companies—many of them “one-vessel firms” used to mask ownership.
This is a textbook example of how traffickers use front companies and offshore registrations to hide…