Irish Republican News · October 24, 2003

LVF drugs ring `smashed'; UDA feud lingers on

The PSNI police today claimed to have smashed a loyalist drug gang after they made the largest-ever seizure of cocaine in the North.

The drugs with an estimated street of 1 million pounds stering were found after raids on premises in Lurgan, County Armagh, and Lisburn, County Antrim.

Some half a dozen men are thought to have been involved, with the bosses drawn from the hardline Loyalist Volunteer Force.

``We have been running an operation against these people for some time,'' the PSNI said. ``This is a composite gang of drug dealers, but the leadership is LVF.''

Meanwhile, an internal feud in north Belfast is believed to be continuing after the now exiled `Barcardi Brigadier' Jimbo Simpson attempted to reclaim `turf' from the current UDA leader in the area, William Borland

A letter from supporters of Jimbo Simpson said the recent failed attempt to oust Borland was ``just to test the water and see where most support lies''.

Two weeks ago, Simpson and his supporters tried to take control of the UDA leadership in North Belfast. The coup failed and Jimbo Simpson was evicted from the country.

The UDA is believed to have retaliated after the attempted coup.

In the letter, the present leadership in Tiger's Bay were warned that support for Simpson is very strong and to be aware that their `ace card', could be played in the very near future.

``Johnny Adair will be back soon and if the Tiger's Bay leaders have any sense they will be booking their plane tickets now.''

If they do not leave, the paramilitaries were warned, there may be ``deaths' in the near future.

``They had their chance to drop Borland but they let it go. Shoukri's gang are finished and so are his gang in Tiger's Bay. We who support Jimbo will be watching and waiting to see the rats deserting the sinking ship,'' the letter ends.

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