Drug lord Declan ‘Deccy’ Gallagher jailed today for nine years of £2 million coaine racket.
THIS is the Derry armchair drug lord jailed today nine years after he thought he could flood the North with cocaine from the safety of his hideaway home in England.
Drug squad detectives labelled Declan ‘Deccy’ Gallagher as the leader of an organised crime gang which flooded the North with cocaine and other drugs.
Gallagher fled to the Greater Manchester area after he cheated a murder bid at his safe house in St Johnston, Co Donegal in January 2008 by vigilante group RAAD.
And it was from his new address in England that Gallagher started to flood his home city and towns across the North with Class A and Class B drugs.
Gallagher was one of 12 people sentenced today at Derry Crown Court over their involvement in the lucrative drug racket.
The 34-year-old will serve half this sentence in custody and half on licence.
Eleven of his co-defendants, all with addresses in Derry, Belfast and Greater Manchester, also stood in the dock.
They all admitted charges in relation to six drug seizures between September 2013 and August 2014 made by the PSNI.
During the proactive police investigation, detectives seized cocaine and cannabis with a street value of £2.2million.
Also in the dock was his brother and sister – Peter aged 45 and 46-year-old Louise.
Others sentenced were: Scott Sotherton, Declan Palmer, Michael Rainey, Edward Cameron, Patrick Ward, Raymond Hamilton, Benjamin Harding, Ryan Ratcliffe and Philip Colville.
Derry Crown Court heard that Declan Gallagher was “heavily involved in directing and controlling the operations of the gang”.
Palmer received a seven year sentence.
Rainey, Colville, Cameron, Hamilton, Harding, Ratcliffe and Sotheron were all jailed for three years.
Peter Gallagher had an 18 month sentence suspended for three years, Louise Gallagher a 12 month sentence suspended for three years and Patrick Ward received a 12 month sentence suspended for two years.
The judge said he was the “leader of the gang” and the other may not have known each other.
Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Tom McClure welcomed the sentence imposed on ‘Deccy’ Gallagher.
He said: “Gallagher thought he was controlling this criminality from a safe distance and not getting his hands dirty.
“We were able to build a compelling circumstantial case involving phone data to prove his leading role in all six consignments.”
The officer added that the PSNI is “delighted these drugs have been removed from communities and hopefully this will have assisted in keeping people safe.
“It also sends a message out to those involved in drugs at the highest level you are not out of reach and when you are brought before the courts significant sentences will be imposed.”
With time spent on remand which would is effectively a four year sentenc, ‘Deccy’ Gallagher could be free next year.
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