Military-grade weapons imported for sale to criminal gangs in Limerick and three other counties, court hears

A Louth man who was part of a criminal organisation that imported military-grade firearms from America was selling them to “Ireland’s top criminals”, with pipe bombs and assault rifles that “can drop a deer at 900 yards” among the weapons being smuggled into the State.  
“Without Conor O’Brien, there would be no criminal organisation, such was his importance,” said Detective Inspector Shane McCartan, telling the Special Criminal Court today that O’Brien and his co-accused, Mark McCourt, were distributing guns and ammunition to criminal gangs in Derry, Armagh, Dublin and Limerick.  

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Last November, O'Brien (29), of Kilpatrick, Ardee, Co Louth, was arraigned on six charges.  
He pleaded guilty that between February 10, 2023, and July 19, 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 further pleaded guilty to 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 19, 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.  
At today’s sentencing hearing, Det Insp McCartan gave evidence to counsel for the State, Simon Matthews BL, that O’Brien and McCourt were involved in procuring the firearms in America and bringing them into Ireland, where they were distributed. Det Insp McCartan explained that the two men were bringing the weapons into Ireland in component parts, which were then reassembled.  
The detective inspector said that both men were arrested and their phones seized, with forensic examination of the phones revealing communication between the two and other parties who used aliases.  
He said that in one communication between O’Brien and a person known as 'Eugene', O’Brien made references to a “suitcase full of Glocks” and “.22 is for babies”, the latter being a reference to .22 calibre ammunition.   
Det Insp McCartan said that in April 2023, McCourt and O’Brien flew to Las Vegas, with O’Brien returning to Ireland on April 9. In a communication between O’Brien and an individual known as ‘The Keeler’, the defendant mentioned “500 rounds of 9mm”. O’Brien also said that he was going “to stick them all together”, which Det Insp McCartan explained meant reassembling the component  parts of firearms.  
The detective inspector said that communication between the parties revealed that O’Brien had “military grade rifles” and Glock handguns, as well as 60-round drum mags, which are capable of firing 60 rounds, as well as assorted ammunition.   
Det Insp McCartan gave evidence that, in relation to this particular collection of weapons and ammunition, McCourt had messaged that “75K is the best price”.  
The witness said that the two men had shared images and videos of the firearms with ‘The Keeler’, which showed the type of guns they had for sale. He said that some of the weapons were fully assembled, with everything stored in a shed in Blackstick in Ardee, which was rented by O’Brien.  
The detective inspector told the court that gardaí were able to identify a serial number attached to one of the AR-15 rifles that showed the weapon had been purchased by O’Brien from a firearms shop in Nevada in February 2023. He gave further evidence of a conversation between McCourt and an individual known as ‘Vladimir Putin’ in May 2023, in which McCourt said he could get an AR-15 rifle with long range bullets that “can drop a deer at 900 yards, no problem”.  
Det Insp McCartan also gave evidence of further communication between O’Brien and a person known as ‘C’, in which O’Brien said that he had “pipes”. The witness said that he believed this referred to pipe bombs, with O’Brien sourcing clients for pipe bombs which were to be manufactured by McCourt.  
In further communication, McCourt made a reference to “meeting this other fella today to give him the money for the flight”. Det Insp McCartan said that other members of the criminal organisation were travelling to America to support the transporting of  ammo and gun parts back to Ireland, with the gun components divided out between these air passengers.  

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In a communication in July 2024, O’Brien told a man called ‘Joe’ that he was selling weapons to “Ireland’s top criminals”.  
Det Insp McCartan said that when gardaí attended at the premises in Ardee in July 2024, they found a suitcase of firearms and handguns, which were semi-automatic pistols  and military grade rifles, all in working order. The court was shown an example of the type of handgun and assault rifle that was found in the premises rented by O’Brien in Ardee.  
The detective inspector said that when arrested, O’Brien initially downplayed his role in the offences but then accepted that the items found were his. When asked what his role was, O’Brien told gardaí: “I know guns.”   
Det Insp McCartan said that he formed the opinion about the existence of a criminal organisation, with O’Brien “operating in a symbiotic relationship" with McCourt.  
“Without Conor O’Brien, there would be no criminal organisation, such was his importance,” said the detective inspector, adding that McCourt “was directing operations” in Derry, Armagh, Dublin and Limerick and dealing with “Ireland's top criminals”.  
O’Brien had no previous convictions.   
Defence counsel, Michael Bowman SC, said that in garda interviews, O’Brien had said he was in fear and “a fool” who was going to be “battered up and down”. O’Brien told gardaí that he was pressured into going to America to get the guns. Mr Bowman said that he did not agree with Det Insp McCartan’s opinion that without O’Brien there would be no criminal organisation, as, if the intent was there, McCourt “would have found a way”.  
Ms Justice Karen O’Connor, presiding over the non-jury, three-judge court, put the matter back to March 16 for sentence, with O’Brien remanded in custody until then.  
O'Brien's co-accused Mark McCourt (34) of Edenreive, Newry, Co Down, was previously jailed for 12 years 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 ten 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.