Man sentenced for Northern Ireland's biggest cocaine seizure

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 15:33 · Archive

A 41-year-old man received a six-year sentence for his role in Northern Ireland's largest cocaine seizure, worth £12m.

Ciaran McBride, 41, was sentenced at Newry Crown Court on Friday for his role in what police described as Northern Ireland's largest ever cocaine seizure. Officers discovered 118kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of £12m hidden under a false floor in a frozen meat truck at an industrial park on the Lower Foughill Road in Jonesborough, County Armagh, in December 2023. The truck nominally contained minced pork but had two sophisticated hiding compartments.

McBride was arrested when his lorry was searched on 11 December 2023. The cocaine had a purity of 70–82%. Judge Paul Ramsey KC handed down the sentence following McBride's guilty plea in November 2025, on the basis that he had agreed to transfer a single load and was aware it contained drugs.

The court heard that McBride did not know the criminal organisation involved and would not have received any money from the load's subsequent sale. He was paid an estimated €100 (£84) for the day's work. His DNA was found on bolts of one of the two hide boxes.

How it is being reported

• Man jailed after NI’s biggest ever cocaine seizureBelfast Telegraph · 23 Oct, 14:28
• Man sentenced after NI's biggest cocaine seizureCiaran McBride, of Listrakelt Road, Derrynoose, was arrested after officers found cocaine with an estimated street value of £12m.BBC Northern Ireland · 23 Oct, 13:48

In this story: Ciaran McBride · Newry Crown Court · Jonesborough · County Armagh · Northern Ireland · Judge Paul Ramsey KC

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