Det Insp Mulderrig told Ms Murphy that gardaí seized Young’s phone and discovered thousands of messages, images, videos and calls relating to Young’s criminal activities in running the Sligo-based gang.
The barrister said the phone revealed a group of “at least” 20 members who operated in a “controlled, hierarchical command structure with directed sub-cells who then directed their own subordinates through a chain of command directed by Barry Young who was ultimately informed of the results”. The detective said investigations of five phones associated with Young led to the arrest of 16 people, six of whom are before the courts, with three of those facing charges of organised crime involvement and money laundering directly attributed to the gang.
A third associate, who was caught with €328,000 worth of cannabis and had a “huge” drug debt of his own, was used as a courier for cash and drug deliveries in Sligo, Leitrim and Dublin, said Ms Murphy. Mr Bowman said his client came from a decent, working class family in Sligo and that Young developed a “significant drug difficulty” that led to his drug debt issues. Mr Bowman said Young had been under “enormous pressure” to pay his debts and had been looking for “a way out of the life he made for himself”, adding that Young was preparing to move out of Ireland when arrested.
The barrister said Young had engaged in counselling and drug and alcohol addiction services before his arrest as far back as 2018 due to the “parasitic nature of the drug trade”.
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