A man has been arrested and over £500,000 worth of suspected cannabis seized after a lorry was stopped at Larne Harbour.
The 37-year-old was arrested on suspicion of fraudulently importing Class B controlled drugs, possession of a Class B controlled drug, possession of a Class B controlled drug with intent to supply, importation of an offensive weapon and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place. He is due to appear before Ballymena Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (Thursday 11 March).
Detective Superintendent Zoe McKee said detectives, working alongside Border Force, and HMRC, stopped a lorry at Larne Harbour at around 7:10pm on Tuesday.
Suspected cannabis with an estimated street value of £510,000 was seized from the vehicle during the operation.
“The nature of serious and organised crime, in this case, the illegal trafficking of drugs for profit ,is a very concerning and deeply impactive issue. Within PSNI’s Organised Crime Unit, we are pleased to work with partners in thwarting the activities of criminals.
“The harm caused by illegal drugs cannot be underestimated and neither should our resolve to continue to make Northern Ireland a hostile environment for those involved in drug dealing within our communities. These criminal elements often operate as part of a wider organised crime group (OCG) and prey on the most vulnerable in order to benefit themselves,” she said.
Detective Superintendent McKee added: We work better together and as part of a collective effort to monitor and target criminals who seek to exploit the common travel area, members of the Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF), have demonstrated their commitment to disrupting those who seek to cause harm through the illegal importation and supply of drugs in Northern Ireland.
“I would appeal to anyone with information about illegal drug use or supply, to call police on the non-emergency number 101. Alternatively, you can submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ . The independent charity Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/ .”