Body discovered in Co Donegal understood to be Co Tyrone man …

A body found in Co Donegal as part of the Sliabh Liag assault probe is understood to be that of a Co Tyrone lorry driver previously charged with drug trafficking offences.

Following an extended search, gardaí confirmed on Monday that with the assistance of coastguard, they had recovered a body in the waters, following an alleged assault on either Saturday, June 24, or Sunday, June 25.

The body of the man, who was aged in his sixties, has since been removed from the scene and taken to Letterkenny University Hospital.

It has previously been reported that he had worked as a lorry driver and was charged after the seizure of cocaine and heroin worth £5.7 million.

He had been been stopped by officers from the National Crime Agency after his lorry was searched at the Coquelles Channel Tunnel terminal in August 2021.

He was later released on bail after what the NCA described at the time as “a significant seizure of class A drugs of the type we see being distributed by violent and exploitative street gangs and county lines networks.

“Working with our law enforcement partners like Border Force we are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle the organised crime groups involved in bringing these drugs to the UK.”

A post-mortem examination is to be carried out and Ireland’s State Pathologist has been notified.

Last week, a man in his thirties and a woman in her twenties were arrested but were released without charge.

An incident room has now been established at Ballyshannon Garda station, with a public appeal for anyone travelling in the Killybegs/Sliabh Liag area between the afternoon of June 24 and the evening of June 25 to come forward with any relevant information.