A 41-year-old man from Armagh, Ciaran McBride, has been sentenced to six years for drug offences linked to the Police Service of Northern Ireland's largest cocaine seizure.

McBride appeared at Newry Crown Court on Friday, 23 October 2026, having previously pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply. He was handed a six-year term, split equally between three years in custody and three years on licence.

The conviction follows a PSNI operation on 11 December 2023 in Jonesborough, South Armagh, during which officers intercepted a maroon van leaving a Dutch-registered articulated lorry at an industrial estate. Cocaine with an estimated street value exceeding £10 million was recovered from the lorry.

Detective Inspector Conor Sweeney, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland's Organised Crime Branch, said: "On the afternoon of 11 December 2023, police stopped a maroon-coloured van as it pulled away from a larger articulated lorry. This lorry, with a Dutch registration, was parked in an industrial estate in the Jonesborough area of South Armagh.

"The driver of the van was Ciaran McBride, and a subsequent search of the lorry revealed a huge amount of cocaine. With an estimated potential street value of over £10 million, this is the largest ever drug seizure by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

"The drugs were found inside a purpose-built hide at the back of the lorry. Here, packing crates were lined with frozen meat products. Underneath this top layer, officers found a hidden compartment in which multiple packages of cocaine were stashed. "The sophistication of the operation, from the concealment method to the sheer amount of cocaine recovered, gives a clear indication of the scale of organised criminality involved.

"It's my belief that the drugs, coming from the Netherlands, were destined for distribution and sale across communities here in Northern Ireland.

"We've seen, all too often, the inevitable heartache that drugs bring to individuals and their families. Criminals don't care. They have one aim only, and that's to line their own pockets.

"In this case, a massive amount of cocaine was prevented from reaching Northern Ireland's streets and neighbourhoods."

Detective Inspector Sweeney continued: "Appearing before the courts today, McBride has now been held to account and I hope this sends a very clear message to all.

"Along with our partners, we will continue to disrupt the movements and activities of organised crime groups, who bring nothing but harm to the most vulnerable within our communities.

"We will work tirelessly to tackle every aspect of organised criminality, including the supply of drugs."

The detective added: "As a police service, we remain grateful for your support. We all have a part to play, and I would encourage anyone with information, or concerns, to contact us."

Anyone with information can contact police on 101 or submit details online via reporting.psni.police.uk/appeals. Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.