Jailed Dungannon man was ‘trusted’ member of organised crime gang

A DUNGANNON man who posed as a lorry driver in an attempt to smuggle more than £2 million worth of cannabis from England to Northern Ireland has been jailed.

Kirk Hackett, 30, pleaded guilty last October at Sheffield Crown Court and was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison at the same court today.

Hackett was stopped driving a lorry on the A1 near Doncaster on May 3, 2024.

National Crime Agency (NCA) officers established he had travelled from Larne port to Cairnryan two days earlier before driving to Sheffield where he had picked up a large amount of drugs.

Hackett was stopped by South Yorkshire Police who searched the vehicle.

Officers removed the floor of the trailer unit and found an area known as a coil well, designed to safely carry cylindrical items. Instead, this had 70 large bags of cannabis concealed inside it, each weighing a kilo.

According to the NCA, this amount would have a street value of £2.1 million.

Hackett was arrested and charged with possession with intent to supply a Class B drug. His arrest came as part of a wider NCA investigation into a suspected crime network based in Northern Ireland.

At the time of his arrest, Hackett was driving to pick up a cover load of animal feed before returning to Northern Ireland with his illegal haul.

A search of the driver’s cab found a drill, drill bits and a box of metal screws matching those used to install the false floor to conceal the illegal drugs, as well as six fake number plates.

Hackett had used false registration plates on the vehicle and had a false insurance certificate so it was less likely he would be stopped by police in the UK.

Investigators found the lorry was originally registered to a haulier based in Northern Ireland.

NCA Branch Commander David Cunningham said: “Kirk Hackett was a trusted member of this organised crime group profiting from smuggling drugs that would have ended up on the streets of Northern Ireland.

“He went to great lengths in his attempts to avoid detection, disguising the vehicle and organising a cover load of animal feed.

“However, thanks to the work of our investigators, and partners at South Yorkshire Police, we have disrupted the activities of this OCG denying them the profits which would be used to commit further acts of serious and organised crime.

“The NCA will continue to pursue these gangs who prey on our communities and cause harm to society.”