Louth gun smuggler has more than €17k returned after DPP drops money-laundering charges

A gun-smuggler who imported military-grade firearms and sold them to Irish criminal gangs has had more than €17,000 returned to him after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dropped money laundering charges against him.

Conor O'Brien (29), of Kilpatrick, Ardee, Co Louth, was jailed last week for eleven years with the final year suspended after he pleaded guilty to importing guns and ammunition. However, two money-laundering charges that had been brought against him are no longer being pursued.

At the three-judge Special Criminal Court today, Simon Matthews BL, for the DPP, said the State would not pursue an order for the cash to be forfeited and had no objection to it being returned to O'Brien.

Ms Justice Karen O'Connor ordered the cash to be returned.

O'Brien had been charged with multiple offences relating to the importation of weapons and two charges under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act.

The laundering charges, which have now been dropped, alleged that he converted, transferred, handled, acquired or possessed sums of €7,450 and €9,980 that were the proceeds of criminal conduct at two locations.

Last November, O'Brien pleaded guilty to a charge that between February 10, 2023, and July 19, 2024 with knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation, he participated in or contributed to activity intending to facilitate the commission by the criminal organisation or any of its members in the importation of firearms and ammunition and explosives.

He further pleaded guilty to five counts concerning the possession or control of firearms 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 them 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.

Passing sentence on O'Brien last week, Ms Justice O'Connor said the defendant took advantage of his dual citizenship to purchase guns in America and sell them here for financial gain.

In communications found on his phone, including one in which joked about selling guns to "Ireland's top criminals, LOL", Ms Justice O'Connor said he had shown "total disregard for the impact of such deadly weapons on our citizens".

The court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the firearms and ammunition.

At a previous hearing, Detective Inspector Shane McCartan said: “Without Conor O’Brien, there would be no criminal organisation, such was his importance."

O’Brien and the leader of the gun-running ring, Mark McCourt, were distributing guns and ammunition to criminal gangs in Derry, Armagh, Dublin and Limerick, he said.

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 crimin