A Co Armagh man suspected of being involved in an organised crime group has been arrested in connection with the discovery nearly two years ago of multiple kilos of cannabis concealed in a lorry bound for Northern Ireland.
Officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) carried out the arrest of the man at his home, in an operation linked to 34 kilos of the drug hidden below a load of fresh chicken.
The 34-year-old was questioned in connection with the discovery of the cannabis, with an estimated street value of over £600,000, and also links to organised crime.
Cannabis worth £620,000 was found in a hide in the floor of a trailer unit stopped at the Killingholme port in North Lincolnshire in May 2023.
Killingholme Port
The lorry had recently arrived from the Hook of Holland with a load of fresh chicken and was stopped by Border Force officers, who were working with the NCA.
Driver Sergei Nicola Bacaianov, (42), with an address in Blanchardstown in the Republic, pleaded guilty to the importation of drugs at Grimsby Crown Court last September.
He admitted some knowledge of the drugs but not the scale of the operation and was sentenced to two-and-a-half years. The NCA said he will be deported at the end of his sentence.
The Armagh man arrested on Wednesday is suspected of being involved in an organised crime group in the north, the NCA said.
He was questioned in Dungannon PSNI station but released on bail pending further inquiries.
Arrest made by the National Crime Agency (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)
NCA Belfast commander David Cunningham said said since the 2023 discovery of the cannabis “investigators have been working to uncover the full extent of the organised crime group behind this importation”.
“We believe that the drugs seized in this importation attempt in May 2024 would have been destined for onward circulation in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland,” Mr Cunningham said.
“With thanks to our colleagues in the Police Service of Northern Ireland for their support, the NCA investigation continues to identify and work towards bringing those involved to justice.”
The 34-year-old was questioned about the attempted importation of the drugs and links to organised crime Read More
