Four men have appeared in court charged in connection with last week's €157 million drug seizure off the Cork Coast.

Over 2,200kg of cocaine was seized after the Army Ranger Wing boarded the cargo ship MV Matthew last Tuesday.

There was a heavy Garda presence outside Mallow District Court this morning as four men charged in connection with the seizure were brought in.

30-year-old Ukrainian Mykhailo Gavryk, 48-year-old Dutchman Cumali Ozgen, 31-year-old Ukrainian Vitali Vlasoi and 37-year-old Iranian Saeid Hassani, all with addresses outside the State, were brought before the court.

They are charged with conspiracy to possess and supply cocaine with a market value of more than €13,000.

Each of the men followed the proceedings via an interpreter.

Vitali Vlasoi’s defence solicitor Joe Cuddigan said he would be making an application to board the MV Matthew ship.

Meanwhile, Saeid Hassani’s defence solicitor Don Ryan told the court he would also be making an application to board the ship.

The District Court is precluded from granting bail in this case and Judge Colm Roberts remanded all four men in custody to appear before the court again via video link next Tuesday.

Reporting from Jamie O'Hara at Mallow District Court in Cork.