11/10/2006

Two men arrested in £18m cannabis seizure

Two men have been arrested after police made their biggest ever seizure of cannabis in Northern Ireland yesterday.

Three tonnes of the drug, with an estimated street value of £18m, were found at premises in Newtownards, County Down, during a joint operation by the PSNI and officers from the Revenue and Customs Service.

A police spokesman commented: "This is a highly significant seizure and the largest ever of cannabis made in Northern Ireland."

Assistant Chief Constable Peter Sheridan, Head of Crime Operations, praised those involved in striking a major blow against the drugs gangs.

ACC Sheridan said: "I would like to congratulate my officers and our colleagues in HMRC on this success. This is proof of our determination to tackle the scourge of illegal drugs. At a strategic level, law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border have just taken part in a conference on organised crime in Limavady. At an operational level, agencies have worked together to protect the public and take drugs out of circulation.

"Such a co-ordinated approach is paying dividends which I am sure is welcomed by everyone in our community."

Police say the seizure is part of an ongoing commitment by the Organised Crime Task Force to crackdown on illegal drugs.

(CD/SP)

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