Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Organised Crime Unit have welcomed the sentencing of two men at Antrim Court earlier today, Tuesday 20 April, following the seizure of drugs with an estimated street value of over £3500.

Edward Diggin (27) from Ballymoney was sentenced to 7 months imprisonment and 7 months on licence after he plead guilty for possession of a Class B drug with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug.

Bolton McCrory (49) from Coleraine was sentenced to 9 months suspended sentence for 2 years after he pled guilty to assisting the offence under Section 45 of the Serious Crime Act.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Mullan said: “I welcome the conviction of Diggin and McCrory following the recovery of these drugs in October 2019 after police stopped and searched a vehicle under the Misuse of Drugs Act on the Lisnavenagh Road, Ballymena. Prior to being stopped police observed an item being thrown out of the passenger side window of the vehicle the defendants were travelling in. On completing a search of the area officers located an amount of suspected class B drugs worth an estimated street value of £3500.

“The Police Service of Northern Ireland is committed to both preventing dangerous drugs from ending up in local communities and pursuing those intent on destroying lives through the supply of illicit drugs.

“Drug dealers seek to make profit at the expense of causing harm and loss to local families in the city. They set out to ruin the communities that they operate in and they do not care about the damage that they cause, preying on the most vulnerable members of their communities.

“We will continue to robustly and proactively pursue those who are intent on damaging our communities by supplying illegal drugs and the communities most damaged by the scourge of drugs support our ongoing efforts. I would appeal for anyone with information regarding the supply of illegal drugs to contact police on 101 or submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.”

The Police Service of Northern Ireland is appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or anyone with any information that will assist the investigation to contact us on the non-emergency number 101. Information can also be passed anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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