Five men have been arrested on suspicion of drug supply offences by officers from the National Crime Agency and the PSNI.
The operation is part of a Paramilitary Crime Task Force investigation into the alleged organised criminal activities of the South East Antrim UDA.
More than 80 officers executed six warrants in the Carrickfergus area.
The men arrested are aged 33, 38, 39, 40 and 43.
They were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to supply class A drugs.
The men are being questioned at Musgrave Police Station.
“The SEA UDA have long known to be involved in many forms of organised criminality, doing untold damage to the community and exerting fear in neighbourhoods.
“Working with our partners in the PCTF we are determined to do all we can to bring that to an end.” pic.twitter.com/YXllQ07cCU
— National Crime Agency (NCA) (@NCA_UK) March 23, 2021
The arrests relate to the seizure over one kilo of cocaine found following searches of two parked cars and nearby land in the Greenisland area in November 2020.
NCA Deputy Director of Investigations Craig Naylor said today’s searches are the culmination of a major investigation undertaken by the NCA in partnership with the PSNI as part of the PCTF.
“This operation is hugely significant, and we believe it will have substantially disrupted the drug dealing activities of the South East Antrim UDA. The investigation will continue with the evidence we have retrieved today.
“The SEA UDA have long known to be involved in many forms of organised criminality, doing untold damage to the community and exerting fear in neighbourhoods.
“Working with our partners in the PCTF we are determined to do all we can to bring that to an end,” he said.
PSNI’s Head of Criminal Investigations Branch, Detective Chief Superintendent John McVea, said the search and arrest operation is a significant milestone.
“The harm caused by illegal drugs to individuals and communities is evident.
“Drugs cause nothing but destruction and distress, not only to the people who take them, but also to their families who deal with the heartbreaking fall out associated with drugs, including death, spiralling debts and intimidation.
“Criminals who supply illegal drugs don’t care who they harm in the process of making money to line their own pockets and fund other paramilitary activities.
“The PCTF has the resilience and determination to target, disrupt and frustrate those who continue to do the greatest harm to the people living in our communities,” he added.