Although born to a wealthy family, Tyrrell had previously served a prison sentence for his involvement in smuggling marijuana in Guadeloupe and Antigua during his youth.
After becoming married in 1994, he and his wife cooperated on a large scale drug trafficking operation worth $10 million.
Along with his friend and criminal associate Frederic Fillingham, a former boatbuilder and sailor who had fled the United States after receiving parole on drug smuggling charges, Tyrrell contacted Robert Kavanagh who used his connections with Colombian drug cartels to secure the delivery of 396 kg of cocaine for Tyrrell's organization.
However, while thought to be safe from local officials, he was eventually discovered by British authorities and his activities soon came under Operation Eyeful, one of the largest surveillance operations ever undertaken by Customs and Police Keeping a close watch over Tyrrell and Paterson for several months, they were eventually observed unloading their cargo on a deserted beach, near Ventnor, on the Isle of Wight.
[1] Julie Paterson was the second person to be arrested by Customs Officers, whilst sheltering with a fellow smuggler in a gazebo near Tyrells house.