Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Police drugs and money laundering probe arrests
Contractor killed by tree made family ‘so proud’
THREE people were arrested yesterday as part of a PSNI investigation into suspected drugs and money laundering.
A 48-year-old man was held in Derry on suspicion of supplying Class A and B substances.
It followed the seizure of suspected cocaine and herbal cannabis from a vehicle stopped by police in Belfast on February 8, 2017. The haul had an estimated street value of more than £750,000
A 34-year-old man was also arrested in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, on suspicion of supplying Class A and B drugs after the same seizure.
During a search of a house police seized a loaded handgun, machete, knife, stab proof vest, cash and a money counting machine.
The man and a woman, 25, were arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life and having them in suspicious circumstances.
The man was also held for suspected possession of and converting criminal property. TRIBUTES were paid yesterday to a contractor killed during Storm Ali.
Matthew Campbell, who was in his 20s and engaged, died after being struck by part of a tree on Wednesday.
He was working with a colleague at Slieve Gullion Forest Park in Co Armagh.
The man in his 40s is being treated for his injuries in the Royal Victoria Hospital.
His old school, Royal Belfast Academical Institute, shared a post on its Facebook page from a relative of Mr Campbell.
It said the victim’s family and fiancee are “in shock” following the “tragic” accident. It added: “We are so proud of Matt and all he achieved in his short life and we all love you son and you made us very proud.”
Yesterday, his former principal at RBAI described him as a “genuine and thoroughly decent young man” whose life “ended far too soon”.
Janet Williamson told the BBC that Matthew never missed a day of school.
She added: “When he left in 2012 the school established an award for attendance which, as of the 20th September 2018, is renamed The Matthew Campbell Award For Outstanding Attendance and will be awarded each year in his memory. Matthew loved Inst and he embraced its spirit of being involved, of engaging in his learning and of supporting others. As a school community our thoughts are with his fiancee, family and friends.”
The men were working for Lagan Construction Limited, on behalf of NI Water, when the incident occurred.
A spokesperson for the firm said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the two families at this time. We are offering support and counselling services to colleagues and we continue to work closely with the statutory authorities.”
NI Water chief Sara Venning expressed the company’s deepest sympathies to Mr Campbell’s family.