A Co Antrim-based businessman is allegedly heading up a major cross-border cocaine smuggling operation to repay £450,000 debts he took on from a criminal associate, the High Court has heard.
Prosecutors claimed Steven Brown is at the top of an illicit racket which involves a constant turnover of drugs to find money owed to gangsters based in the Republic.
The 36-year-old is also attempting to service separate tax debts in excess of £200,000 through the continued illegal supply, a judge was told.
Details emerged as Brown, of Dalewood in Newtownabbey, was refused bail on counts linked to a two-year police investigation.
He denies nine charges, including being concerned in the supply of cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis, and possessing and transferring criminal property due to his suspected top-ranking role in an organised crime gang shifting multi-kilo consignments of drugs from the Republic into Northern Ireland.
Brown and three co-accused were arrested earlier this month in raids across Belfast which resulted in the seizure of drugs, money, mobile phones, five high-value cars and Rolex watches.
Detectives believe the gang has been smuggling drugs across the border for onward distribution since 2022.
Set up and run on a hierarchical structure, some senior members allegedly facilitated and arranged the movements without hands-on activity.
Separate pricing structures were put in place to sell the drugs at a profit in Northern Ireland through a network of drivers and lower-level street dealers, it was contended.
Based on evidence gathered from mobile phone messages, police claim Brown was at the top of the operation.
Crown counsel Fiona O’Kane submitted: “He is assessed as the head of the organised crime gang, controlling a considerable number of individuals.
“They distribute the drugs on his behalf and the money is funnelled back to him.”
Brown allegedly controlled and coordinated criminality in Northern Ireland, according to the police case, taking control of up to 15 kilos of cocaine at a time from crime members in the Republic and using his own pricing structures to sell it on at a profit of £5,000 per kilo.
It was previously disclosed that he is believed to be heavily in debt himself, with detectives believing at some stage an offer was made for him to relinquish control of his Spanish villa.
Mrs O’Kane claimed that in voice messages he discussed gathering £40,000 from his “men”, and being owed £70,000 from another dealer which was causing difficulties because of what he owed to others in the Republic.
She alleged that despite running the organisation, Brown has amassed significant personal debts - both legitimate and illegitimate.
The court heard that he assumed a £450,000 criminal debt owed by an associate currently serving a prison sentence for possessing a kilo of cocaine and criminal property.
“The applicant indicated that he is paying that debt off at a rate of £50,000 a month,” counsel said.
“There is further discussion in the messages where it is assessed… as being managed by constant turnover of cocaine to facilitate payment.
“At one point approximately £90,000 was required to be paid off as a matter of urgency in order to placate suppliers that cash was available and that more would follow in order to keep the streamline of revenue open.”
Mr Justice Huddleston heard Brown has also run up a £208,000 self-assessment tax bill owed to HM Revenue and Custom, while a further £6,500 is due for unpaid rates.
“Police have sought freezing orders, but no money can be located to the quantity required to justify freezing orders unfortunately,” the prosecutor said.
Opposing bail, she added: “The assessment is that he is personally facing significant financial hardship, both due to this debt (from his associate) and living a lifestyle we say is funded through criminal cash.
“He is servicing all of that through the supply of controlled drugs.”
Defence barrister Aaron Thompson told the court Brown owns three businesses and has no history of involvement with drugs.
Describing his client as a committed family man, Mr Thompson argued that he was a strong candidate to be released on bail.
But refusing the application, Mr Justice Huddleston cited the risks of further offending and potential interference with the ongoing case.