09/01/2008
Court Appearance Underlines Ulster Cocaine Problem
Cocaine use continues to escalate in Northern Ireland, a problem underlined this week when a Dutch man was in court accused of trying to smuggle cocaine - the fourth such haul at Belfast International Airport in three months.
Customs officers found over a pound of the drug after an Amsterdam flight landed on Saturday.
Johnson Fayiah, a 26-year-old passenger on the flight, was arrested and charged with attempting to smuggle the Class A drug and was remanded in custody at Antrim Court this week.
The three previous cocaine seizures all resulted in the arrest of Amsterdam passengers.
In October, a 56-year-old Dutch man was accused of smuggling £30,000 worth of the drug. Another Dutch national was arrested off a flight in early December and accused of importing £30,000 worth of cocaine.
A Londonderry man was arrested in mid-December after travelling back from Holland. He is accused of trying to bring more than £2,000 of the drug in.
John Whiting, the assistant director for criminal investigation in HM Revenue and Customs, said the seizures are one part of "protecting our communities from the violence and corruption that always accompanies the trade in illegal drugs".
"Anyone with information about activity that may be linked to smuggling should call 0800 59 5000," he said.
(BMcC)
Customs officers found over a pound of the drug after an Amsterdam flight landed on Saturday.
Johnson Fayiah, a 26-year-old passenger on the flight, was arrested and charged with attempting to smuggle the Class A drug and was remanded in custody at Antrim Court this week.
The three previous cocaine seizures all resulted in the arrest of Amsterdam passengers.
In October, a 56-year-old Dutch man was accused of smuggling £30,000 worth of the drug. Another Dutch national was arrested off a flight in early December and accused of importing £30,000 worth of cocaine.
A Londonderry man was arrested in mid-December after travelling back from Holland. He is accused of trying to bring more than £2,000 of the drug in.
John Whiting, the assistant director for criminal investigation in HM Revenue and Customs, said the seizures are one part of "protecting our communities from the violence and corruption that always accompanies the trade in illegal drugs".
"Anyone with information about activity that may be linked to smuggling should call 0800 59 5000," he said.
(BMcC)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.