Gang Member Jailed for £2M Cannabis Smuggling Near Doncaster

Kirk Hackett, a 30-year-old man from Dungannon, Northern Ireland, has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for attempting to smuggle over £2 million worth of cannabis from South Yorkshire to Northern Ireland. Hackett, who posed as a lorry driver, was stopped by police on the A1 near Doncaster, where authorities discovered 70 bags of cannabis hidden beneath the trailer's false floor. Prior to his arrest, he had traveled from Larne port to Cairnryan and picked up the drugs in Sheffield, planning to cover his illicit cargo with a load of animal feed. Investigators found tools in his cab used to install the false floor and evidence of false registration plates and insurance. The National Crime Agency stated that this operation is part of a broader investigation into a crime network based in Northern Ireland, highlighting the ongoing efforts to disrupt organized crime in the region. NCA Branch Commander David Cunningham emphasized the importance of their work in preventing these drugs from reaching the streets.