March 13, 2000

On this day in 2000, a massive drug bust in Holland resulted in the arrest of John Cunningham, who was one of Ireland’s most notorious career criminals. Born in Ballyfermot, Dublin, Cunningham became known in the 1980s, when he was jailed for taking part in the abduction of Jennifer Guinness. He escaped in 1996 and moved to the Netherlands. There, Cunningham built up a drug empire worth €50 million. Known as ‘Gentleman John’ for his tidy appearance and well-spoken manner, he was eventually caught and convicted for trafficking over €10 million worth of drugs between Holland and Ireland.