Breaking Court told man was leader of gang supplying weapons
Mark McCourt, with an address at Edencrieve, Newry in Co Down, pleaded guilty to six counts in connection with facilitating a criminal organisation to import explosives, firearms and ammunition into the State between 10 February 2023 and 19 July 2024.
The weapons were bought at a guns and ammunition shop in Nevada by a man with US citizenship, then smuggled into Ireland and reassembled here.
Detective Inspector Shane McCartan from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau told the court that McCourt's phone was seized when he was arrested for a separate offence in May 2024.
Military grade guns and ammunition
When the data was downloaded, gardaí found text messages, voice messages and videos related to the importation of military grade guns and ammunition and the distribution of the weapons around Ireland.
In text messages to a person known as 'The Keeler' McCourt referred to "picking up rounds of 9mm" and told him "so get the cash ready lol".
'The Keeler' replied "sound brother" but told McCourt to "get another phone there", "a burner" and that he would "make a group".
Mccourt replied "yeh I'll get one sorted tomorrow mate".
McCourt sent 'The Keeler' a list of guns and ammunition including "AR-15" assault rifles and "glocks" as well as details on ammunition and magazines.
"75k cash is best price, I've another man there for them," he said.
'The Keeler' told him to "send me full list".
McCourt also advised 'The Keeler' that he would need to store the guns and ammunition carefully.
"Yeah you'll need some stash, rounds need to keep in a dry place, if they get damp they won't fire," he told him.
McCourt also offered 'The Keeler' additional explosives for free.
"That's sound brother, tell them 75K and ill throw in the 10 pipes for free."
"100% bro," 'The Keeler' replied "another ten for the ten".
Gardaí also downloaded three videos of the guns and ammunition that McCourt also sent to 'The Keeler' showing AR-15 assault rifles, semi-automatic pistols and bags of ammunition.
A gloved hand can be seen loading and unloading the weapons, including showing a drum magazine which can hold up to 50 rounds.
The serial numbers had been removed from all but one weapon which enabled gardaí to trace this rifle to Pahrump, a gun and ammunition supply store outside Las Vegas, in Nevada.
It was bought there by another man with US citizenship on 10 February 2023.
McCourt also discussed the sale and supply of weapons with another person known as 'Vladimir Putin'.
McCourt told him: "I can get an AR-15," and referring to ammunition he said "she'll drop a deer at 900 yds". "Can you get a 7.62 sniper pal?"
'Vladimir Putin' replied: "Where you get them, we ram raid the place? Over the water?"
McCourt confirmed he got the guns abroad. "Yeah mate overseas," and in reply to the question about the sniper rifle "don't know, can get it priced".
He sent him a picture of the drum magazine on 6 March 2024.
He also discussed other guns, "big ones, good ones" including glocks and Sig Sauer handguns, assembling them and providing pictures to the prospective buyers.
Detective Inspector McCartan said he was importing in parts and reassembling in Ireland for criminal gangs.
McCourt also dealt with another person known as 'Duff', sending him messages and videos of guns and ammunition.
He told him they were "brand new bud" to which Duff replied: "Sweet bro, and if I need another AR how soon can I get it?"
"That's sound," McCourt said, "we've a few orders here already man. You let me know closer to the time, so I get a chance to put an order in".
He sent pictures to Duff on 11 March 2024 of two rusty guns and a video of assembled AR-15's and ammunition.
"You let me know before they arrive and what's available," Duff replied. "I've a fella looking for them straight away, 2 rusty things, [a reference to two rusted weapons] and 5 of those things you make straight away".
There was also a message on his phone from the man with US citizenship about how close he came to being caught by US security agents whom he referred to as "secondary".
"Pulled in to secondary again," he texted Mc Court.
"No way what did they say," Mc Court asked.
"There's your passport, lucky he didn't take the check bag in, he was about to and I was chatting him," the man told Mc Court.
Gun parts
There was also messages on McCourt's phone in relation to a mule he was using to go to Las Vegas to bring back broken down gun parts.
Gardaí set up an operation and put McCourt and another man under surveillance.
On 19 July 2024 they raided a shed at Blackstick in Ardee, Co Louth after the two men arrived and discovered 82 gun components in two Nike holdall bags in the middle of the floor.
When assembled they made six AR-15 assault rifles and 12 Glock semi automatic pistols. All the firearms and ammunition were found to be in working order and suitable for discharge.
Gardaí also found 800 rounds of ammunition for the weapons in a Dunnes Stores bag.
McCourt had earlier that morning bought a pair of microfibre gloves.
A smashed up mobile phone was also found in a blue plastic drum in the shed. When gardaí analysed the data on it, they discovered a conversation on it on 24 May 2024 where McCourt and another person discussed remotely wiping the data from the cloud and the phone that gardaí had already seized from McCourt.
Forensic awareness
Detective Inspector McCartan told the court that this showed his forensic awareness.
He also said he was fully satisfied that "an unnamed criminal organisation was operating under the direction of McCourt" and was involved in "the importation of firearm components and ammunition, the reassembly of guns and the distribution of these and of pipe bombs to other criminal organisations, in Derry, Dublin and Limerick".
McCourt was arrested and interviewed 14 times but nothing of evidential value came from the interviews. His bank documents also showed he made payments to the other man with US citizenship when the guns were bought in Nevada.
That man has dual Irish and US citizenship and could purchase firearms legally in the US.
Mark McCourt has 47 previous convictions including for ramming the car of an off duty garda at her home for which he was sentenced to three years in prison.
Video and texts from McCourt's phone were shown in court and gardaí showed the three judges one of the AR-15 rifles and a SIG Sauer pistol in court.
Defence counsel Brendan Grehan said he was a plumber by trade, in a stable relationship for the past 11 years and the father of two young children aged eight and three.
He said the majority of his previous offending took place when he was aged between 19 and 22.
The case has been adjourned for mention on Thursday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
15 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Gun-running ring boss offered to 'throw in' free pipe-bombs in €75k rifle deal
A plumber identified as the boss of a gun-running ring told a 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, a sentencing court has heard. Mark McCourt (34), of Edenrieve, Newry, Co Down, appeared before the Special Criminal Court yesterday, after pleading guilty last week to firearms offences and participating in a criminal organisation's efforts to import restricted weapons. A senior garda said in evidence to the three-judge court that he was 'fully satisfied' that there was a criminal organisation in existence under the 'control and direction' of McCourt 'whose function 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'. Detective Inspector Shane McCartan of the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, who led an investigation into the gang's activities last year, said a firearms technician had been able to assemble 82 gun parts seized in a raid on a property in Co Louth last year into six assault rifles and a dozen pistols. Det. Insp. McCartan said McCourt had already been identified in connection with the suspected importation of firearms when the defendant was arrested for something else on May 24, 2024, and had his phone seized. Gardaí were able to extract data from the phone shedding light on the activities of the smuggling ring in the preceding year, along with conversations with prospective customers in messages on Signal, WhatsApp and Snapchat, the witness said. Det. Insp. McCartan said McCourt and his co-accused both flew to Las Vegas, Nevada on three occasions in April and May 2023. Mark McCourt appeared before the Special Criminal Court on Monday (Image: Collins) On April that year, following their return from the trip, McCourt told one prospective customer -- who used the alias 'The Keeler' – 'we got sorted this evening' and that it would take a few hours to 'stick them all together', the court was told. 'So get the cash ready lol,' McCourt added, before telling The Keeler to 'get another phone' as a 'burner'. In further text exchanges with The Keeler, McCourt wrote: '€75k cash is [the] best price' and that he had 'another man there for them today'. He said the receiver of the firearms would need 'a dry place like a hot press or that' as a 'stash spot'. 'If they get damp, they won't fire, that's why you see boys there and they're misfiring, because the powder is damp,' McCourt wrote. He then added: 'Tell them 75k and I'll throw in the 10 pipes for free.' Det. Insp. McCartan said: 'It's my belief that refers to pipe bombs.' He said one of a number of videos found on Mr McCourts phone, which were screened in court on Monday, had captured a serial number on an AR-15 rifle made by Anderson Defence traced to a sale on 10 February 2023 at a shop called Parumph Guns and Ammo near Las Vegas. 'It was purchased by the co-accused on 10 February 2023,' the witness said. As the videos were screened for the court, Det Insp McCartan said that what was being shown were 'AR-15 assault rifles, military grade' and their magazines, including one 'drum magazine' which could hold upwards of 50 bullets. A 'significant quantity' of loose rounds was also to be observed, he said. When a detective held up an example of one of the seized rifles in court, the detective inspector said: 'Judge, it should be noted that all of the firearms had their serial numbers bored off.' Video and texts from McCourt's phone were shown in court Prosecuting counsel Simon Matthews BL, said that after another trip to Las Vegas in May 2023, a text from McCourt's phone to a prospective buyer under the alias 'Vladimir Putin' said: 'I can get an AR-15… she'll drop a deer at 900 yards, no problem.' 'Vladimir Putin' then asked about buying a '7.62 sniper' – and about the source of the weapons. 'We ram raid the place across the water,' McCourt replied, adding: 'Yeah mate, don't know, but I can get a price. In another exchange stored on the seized phone, another prospective customer under the alias 'Duff' asked: 'Sweet bro, and if I need another AR [assault rifle] how soon can I get it?' 'That'll be next month… but they're definitely there to be got,' came the reply by voice note, which was played to the court. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC said that while the videos and pictures 'were seized from his phone' the prosecution was not able to state that Mr McCourt had recorded them. Det Gda McCartan said he and his team had 'a serious concern' in late June and early July 2024 that the gang would import another load of weapons and sell them on. The court heard gardaí commenced a surveillance operation and obtained warrants for a shed and lands at Blackstaff, Ardee, Co Louth. McCourt and another member of the gang were arrested when Bureau detectives and armed officers from the Garda Emergency Response Unit (ERU) raided the premises on July 19, 2024. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week The 82 firearms parts were found 'all in the one suitcase' in the shed, along with nearly 900 rounds of pistol and rifle ammunition found in a Dunnes Stores bag on a sofa there, the witness said. Det Insp McCartan told the court the defendant has some 42 previous convictions including assault causing harm, theft, and dangerous driving 'on the high end'. He said McCourt and was jailed for three years, with 18 months suspended, on foot of a conviction for a criminal damage incident in which he had gone to the home address of an off-duty garda at 2.55am and 'rammed' her car. He agreed with Mr Grehan that this period of offending was when the McCourt was aged between 19 and 22. Mr Grehan presented the court with letters from local businesses which had used his client as a plumbing subcontractor and stated that they found him 'courteous and professional'. He said his client was the father of two children, and that his fiancée and her mother were 'standing by him'. Asking for 'the maximum mitigation allowable', Mr Grehan said he had been 'asked to tender an apology on his behalf to the court and the State for getting involved in these matters, and also to his family and the shame he's brought to them for this'. The State is to make further submissions on the gravity of the offending when the case is heard again on Thursday. However, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, presiding, said the court would not be in a position to finalise sentence until a later date. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Daily Mirror
15 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Book of evidence served on alleged Kinahan cartel figure Sean McGovern
A book of evidence has been served on alleged Kinahan cartel figure Sean McGovern relating to the murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan. McGovern, 39, of Kildare Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, who was extradited from Dubai earlier this year, appeared before the three-judge Special Criminal Court on Monday. He is charged with the murder of Mr Kirwan on December 22, 2016 at St Ronan's Drive, Clondalkin in Dublin. Mr McGovern is also charged with directing the activities of a criminal organisation in connection with the same murder between October 20, 2016 and December 22, 2016. He is further charged with directing the activities of a criminal organisation in connection with the surveillance of James Gately in preparation for the commission of an indictable offence between October 17, 2015 and April 6, 2017. He is also charged with contributing to or participating in activity intending or being reckless as to whether such activity would facilitate a criminal organisation in the murder of Mr Kirwan. He faces a similar charge of facilitating a criminal organisation in a conspiracy to murder Mr Gately. The book of evidence relating to the Kirwan murder was served on the accused on Monday morning, defence counsel Keith Spencer said. A second book of evidence will be served in October via electronic means. Counsel reiterated the defence's plan to contest the legality of McGovern's extradition from Dubai in May of last year. Counsel noted that this legal challenge could be brought before the Special Criminal Court or another appropriate court. McGovern was remanded back in custody to Portlaoise Prison to appear before the court again in October. Sign up to the Irish Mirror's Courts and Crime newsletter here and get breaking crime updates and news from the courts direct to your inbox. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
RTÉ News
18 hours ago
- RTÉ News
US Police say shots reported fired inside Park Avenue skyscraper in Manhattan
A person who opened fire inside a midtown Manhattan skyscraper housing several financial firms and the headquarters of the National Football League, police said, has been "neutralised," the New York city police commissioner said. Police did not immediately make details of the shooting public, but a law enforcement source told Reuters at least one New York Police Department officer and two civilians were struck by gunfire and that the suspect was believed to be dead. The source said the information was preliminary, and the condition or extent of injuries sustained by the police officer and two others was not immediately known. The New York Post newspaper, citing unnamed police sources, reported that a gunman wearing a bullet-resistant vest and carrying an AR-style rifle had opened fire inside the Park Avenue skyscraper, wounding a police officer and a bystander. The Post reported they were in critical condition. The gunman, the Post reported, had barricaded himself inside the office tower, possibly on the 32nd floor of the building. A short time later, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Disch said on X: "At this time, the scene has been contained and the lone shooter has been neutralised." The skyscraper at 345 Park Avenue houses a number of financial firms, including Blackstone, KPMG and Deutsche Bank and the NFL headquarters. News media footage showed a large police presence in the area around the office tower. "There is an active shooter investigation taking place in Midtown right now," New York Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement on social media platform X as news of the shooting first surfaced. The FBI said agents from its New York field office were also responding to provide support at the scene.
