Gang member hid £2.1m of cannabis in lorry floor

A gang member who posed as a lorry driver in an attempt to smuggle more than £2m worth of cannabis from South Yorkshire to Northern Ireland has been jailed.

Kirk Hackett, 30, from Dungannon, County Tyrone, was stopped by police on the A1 near Doncaster in May, with 70 large bags of the drug found underneath the floor of the trailer.

At the time of his arrest he was on the way to pick up animal feed to cover the true purpose of his journey back to Northern Ireland, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

At Sheffield Crown Court, he was jailed for three years and nine months after earlier admitting possession with intent to distribute a Class B drug.

NCA officers found Hackett had travelled from the Port of Larne in Northern Ireland to Cairnryan, Scotland, two days before he drove to Sheffield.

Officers found a drill and a box of metal screws matching those used to install the false floor, along with six false number plates.

David Cunningham, NCA branch commander, said: "He went to great lengths in his attempts to avoid detection, disguising the vehicle and organising a cover load of animal feed.

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

"He was a trusted member of this organised crime group, profiting from smuggling drugs that would have ended up on the streets," Mr Cunningham added.

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