Police have hailed the six‑year sentence handed to Derrynoose man Ciaran McBride as a major blow against organised crime after confirming the haul involved was the largest cocaine seizure in the PSNI’s history.
McBride (41), of Listrakelt Road, was sentenced at Newry Crown Court on Friday for possessing cocaine with intent to supply, following the discovery of a sophisticated 118kg shipment hidden inside frozen meat at Flurrybridge Business Park in December 2023.
Related: Derrynoose man found with cocaine worth £12million in street value handed six year sentence
The court heard the consignment – concealed in concrete‑lined hides within crates of minced pork in a Dutch‑registered lorry – had an estimated wholesale value of around £6m and a potential street value of about £12m.
In an update on Wednesday, the PSNI put the potential street value at “over £10 million” and stressed the scale of the case.
Detective Inspector Conor Sweeney, from the Organised Crime Branch, said: “On the afternoon of 11 December 2023, police stopped a maroon‑coloured van as it pulled away from a larger articulated lorry. This lorry, with a Dutch registration, was parked in an industrial estate in the Jonesborough area of South Armagh.
“The driver of the van was Ciaran McBride, and a subsequent search of the lorry revealed a huge amount of cocaine. With an estimated potential street value of over £10 million, this is the largest ever drug seizure by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.”
He said the drugs were found “inside a purpose‑built hide at the back of the lorry”, where crates lined with frozen meat concealed a hidden compartment in which “multiple packages of cocaine were stashed”.
‘Clear indication of the scale of organised criminality’
DI Sweeney added: “The sophistication of the operation, from the concealment method to the sheer amount of cocaine recovered, gives a clear indication of the scale of organised criminality involved.
“It’s my belief that the drugs, coming from the Netherlands, were destined for distribution and sale across communities here in Northern Ireland.
“We’ve seen, all too often, the inevitable heartache that drugs bring to individuals and their families. Criminals don’t care. They have one aim only, and that’s to line their own pockets.
“In this case, a massive amount of cocaine was prevented from reaching Northern Ireland’s streets and neighbourhoods.”
McBride, who knew he was moving a sizeable consignment of illegal drugs but not the exact quantity, was jailed for six years – three in custody and three on licence – and disqualified from driving for two years. A second count was left on the books. The court also ordered the destruction of the drugs.
‘Very clear message’
Welcoming the outcome, DI Sweeney said: “Appearing before the courts today, McBride has now been held to account and I hope this sends a very clear message to all.
“Along with our partners, we will continue to disrupt the movements and activities of organised crime groups, who bring nothing but harm to the most vulnerable within our communities.
“We will work tirelessly to tackle every aspect of organised criminality, including the supply of drugs.
“As a police service, we remain grateful for your support. We all have a part to play, and I would encourage anyone with information, or concerns, to contact us.”
Anyone with information can contact police on 101 or online via https://reporting.psni.police.uk/appeals
Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
