Jail sentence for Dungannon man caught with ‘£2.1m’ worth of drugs concealed under floor of lorry trailer unit

Kirk Hackett (30) was stopped driving a lorry on the A1 near Doncaster on May, 3 2024. 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.

Working on behalf of the NCA, the vehicle was stopped and searched by South Yorkshire Police. 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.

This, according to the NCA, 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, he 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, an NCA statement added.

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

Hackett pleaded guilty on October 24, 2024 at Sheffield Crown Court and was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison at the same court today (Thursday, April 10).

NCA Branch Commander David Cunningham said: "Kirk Hackett was a trusted member of this organised crime group (OCG) 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."