Organised Crime Branch drugs haul now estimated at £2 million
14 Feb 2010
Police have revised their estimate of the amount of drugs seized in a multi-agency intelligence-led operation against an organised crime gang in Northern Ireland and England yesterday to more than £2 million.
Drugs suspected to be cocaine, speed and herbal cannabis worth £1 million were seized in Kilkeel and greater Belfast on Saturday. Suspected drugs with a similar value were seized at premises in Preston in England.
Nine people were arrested - five in NI and four in England - and £100,000 cash in sterling and euro notes was seized. Eight of the suspects are being questioned by detectives in Antrim police station.
The officer in charge of the operation, PSNI Detective Superintendent Essie Adair, said: "We are delighted with the amount of drugs which we have seized and the number of arrests which have been made. We believe we have dismantled an organised crime gang which was importing drugs into Northern Ireland.
"We have been working closely with colleagues in the Serious Organised Crime Agency, Greater Manchester Police and Lancashire Constabulary for the past year. We have been watching locations, vehicles and individuals. Within the past week, we started to get a clearer picture of the gang's activities and decided to move to an overt stage of the operation on Saturday, which culminated in these significant seizures and arrests."
Detectives from the PSNI's Organised Crime Branch stopped and searched a lorry in Kilkeel on Saturday and uncovered what is suspected to be 6 kilos of cocaine, 22 kilos of speed and 20 kilos of herbal cannabis.
In follow up searches in Greater Belfast, 6 kilos of speed were seized along with £100,000 cash in sterling and euro notes.
As part of the same PSNI-led operation, which involved the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) Greater Manchester Police and Lancashire Constabulary, a house in Preston was searched and what is believed to be 1 kilo of cocaine, 22 kilos of speed and 20 kilos of herbal cannabis were seized. These have an estimated value of £1 million.
A total of eight searches were carried out in Northern Ireland and five in England. Five men were arrested in Northern Ireland while three men and one woman were arrested in England. The three men have been brought to NI for questioning.
Detective Superintendent Adair, from the PSNI's Organised Crime Branch, said: "This is one of the most significant seizures in recent times. We believe the drugs were brought into the UK from Holland before being taken to Northern Ireland. We believe they have a high purity value which would enable them to be 'cut' several times before reaching the streets. Their ultimate value may be much higher than our current £2 million estimate.
"We have worked with our partners in SOCA, Greater Manchester Police and Lancashire Constabulary to bring this to a successful outcome. We believe an organised crime gang was importing drugs into Northern Ireland. We have taken drugs and cash out of circulation and as a consequence have removed serious harm from our streets.
"Suspects are being interviewed. In addition, along with our partner agencies we will be looking at the possibility of seizing assets. I believe this operation is a demonstration of the Police Service's determination to protect our communities from harm."
