South East Antrim UDA: Six Greenisland men admit cocaine charges after probe by National Crime Agency (NCA), Paramilitary Crime Task Force (PCTF) and PSNI
Six men have pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine as part of an investigation into the UDA by the National Crime Agency, working as part of the Paramilitary Crime Task Force (PCTF).
The men who pleaded guilty are all from Greenlisland.
They are: Clifford Irons, 47, of Shannagh Avenue; Glenn Burns, 42, of Moyard Gardens; David Weir, 43, of Rossmore Green; Daniel Vance, 37, of Glenkeen Drive; Dean Cromie, 28, of Kinbayne Avenue; Darren Kelly, 56, of Kinbayne Crescent.
The men appeared before Belfast Crown Court on Thursday and Friday, 11 and 12 September, where they all admitted the charge of conspiracy to possess controlled class A drugs with intent to supply.
It follows the seizure of over one kilo of cocaine in Greenisland, County Antrim, in November 2020.
The seizure was made as part of an investigation into the organised crime activities of the South East Antrim UDA.
NCA and PSNI investigators worked closely with the Public Prosecution Service of Northern Ireland (PPS) to build a robust case against all six, resulting in the guilty pleas.
Sentencing has been listed for 7 November at Belfast Crown Court.
The NCA, the PSNI and HMRC have established the Paramilitary Crime Task Force to tackle criminality linked to paramilitarism as part of the Executive’s action plan on tackling paramilitary activity, criminality and organised crime.