Co Down man jailed over £1m in drugs that 'fell off horsebox' on M1 motorway

Nathan Greene

Staff Reporter

May 20 2022 06:30 AM

A Co Down man accused of having more than £1m worth of cannabis that fell off a horsebox on a motorway near Belfast has been jailed for nine months.

Nathan Greene (34) was arrested after 57 kilos of drugs were discovered hidden inside three bales of hay on the M1 in October 2020.

Greene will also serve nine months on licence, having pleaded guilty to possession of a Class B controlled drug with intent to supply.

The Hillsborough man, whose work involved transporting horses between Britain and Ireland, was sentenced at Downpatrick Crown Court yesterday.

Greene’s insecure load of hay bales fell from a horsebox being driven on the M1, near the Blacks Road Junction.

A previous court heard the horsebox had got off a ferry at Larne before shedding its load.

CCTV footage allegedly showed Greene securing another five bales back on top of the lorry before it left the scene.

PSNI Detective Inspector Shaw said: “The horsebox, being driven on the M1 in Belfast, shed its load on the morning of October 3, 2020.

“It’s believed that the driver — Nathan Greene — temporarily stopped to secure some bales before promptly leaving the scene.

“Cannabis, with an estimated street value of approximately £1.24m, was found hidden inside the bales that had fallen.

“As part of the investigation, detectives from our Organised Crime Unit searched a number of properties in Co Down and subsequently arrested the defendant.”

The officer continued: “Through Operation Dealbreaker, and with the support of partner organisations, we are committed to tackling the supply, use and harm caused by illegal drugs.

“Drug dealers don’t care about individuals and communities, or the lives and relationships that get destroyed along the way. Their interest is purely with lining their own pockets.

“I hope that today’s sentencing sends out a clear message to those who think they can profit at the expense of others,” the officer added.