KINAHAN CARTEL: Senior gang member Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh facing years in jail after admit

KINAHAN Cartel lieutenant in the UK Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh is facing years behind bars after admitting drugs importation and money laundering offences.

The 52-year-old Irish national was jailed for three years last September for possession of a stun gun disguised as a torch which was found in a raid on his home as part of the drugs investigation.

Today, he was one of three men who pleaded guilty to a series of drug and firearms offences, following a major investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA). At a hearing at Ipswich Crown Court today Kavanagh and Gary Vickery, 37, both car dealers from Tamworth, and Daniel Canning, 41, from Walkinstown, Dublin, all admitted conspiring to import class A and B drugs, and money laundering.

GUILTY: Canning admitted posessing a firearm and ammunition (NCA)

Canning also admitted possessing a firearm and ammunition. All three men will be sentenced following a court session known as a Newton Hearing which will establish Kavanagh’s exact involvement in the conspiracy.

This will take place at the same court later this year.

NEWTON: Kavanagh faces a hearing to look at his role within the conspiracy (NCA)

NCA Deputy Director of Investigations Matt Horne said: “Today’s guilty pleas are the culmination of a four-year investigation into Thomas Kavanagh and his co-conspirators, who were part of a significant international crime network, capable of organising multi-million pound shipments of drugs.

“We have worked throughout with our colleagues at An Garda Síochána, and I hope these convictions send out a strong message to others who may think themselves to be untouchable. “We will be relentless in our pursuit of those involved in organised criminality.”