A 29-year-old man has pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to facilitating the activities of a smuggling ring that ran assault rifle components and ammunition from the US into Ireland.
Two weeks ago at the court, the leader of the gang was jailed for 12 years after he was caught “red-handed” in a Garda raid, during which parts for six weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were seized.
The court heard that the function of the organisation was “the importation of firearms components from the USA to Ireland and the reassembly of these restricted firearms for onward distribution to other criminal organisations”.
At the three-judge, non-jury court on Monday, Conor O’Brien, of Kilpatrick, Ardee, Co Louth, was arraigned on six charges.
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He was charged that between February 10th, 2023 and July 19th, 2024, with knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation, he did participate in, or contribute to, activity intending to facilitate the commission by the said criminal organisation or any of its members, of a serious offence, to wit the importation in the State of firearms and ammunition and explosives.
He was further charged with five counts concerning the possession or control of a firearm or ammunition in suspicious circumstances, contrary to the provisions of section 27A (1) of the Firearms Act 1964, as substituted by section 59 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, as amended by the Criminal Justice Act, 2007.
These related to offences at John Street, Blackstick, Ardee, Co Louth, on July 19th, 2024, when he had unlawfully in his possession two .233 Remington calibre barrels from AR-15 pattern semi-automatic rifles, in circumstances giving rise to a reasonable inference that he did not possess it for a lawful purpose. He had possession of four .233 Remington calibre barrels from Anderson manufacturing AM-15 pattern semi-automatic rifles. He had eight frames for Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistols, a frame for a Canik semi-automatic pistol, and four slides for a Sig Sauer model P320 9mm Luger calibre semi-automatic pistol.
O’Brien pleaded guilty to all the offences and was remanded on continual bail to appear before the court on January 12th next.
O’Brien’s co-accused, Mark McCourt (34) of Edenreive, Newry, Co Down, was previously jailed by the Special Criminal Court, having also pleaded guilty to facilitating the criminal organisation’s efforts to import restricted weapons between February 2023 and July 2024, and the possession of firearms components.
McCourt told one prospective customer he would throw in 10 pipe bombs as a free gift to seal a €75,000 cash deal to supply guns and ammunition smuggled by air from America, the sentencing court heard.
