POLICE have seized cannabis with an estimated street value of £4m at a port in Northern Ireland.
Detectives from the PSNI’s Organised Crime Branch, working in collaboration with the An Garda Síochána National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau, stopped and searched a lorry travelling from Scotland to Larne Harbour yesterday (April 27).
During the search they discovered suspected cannabis concealed within a large number of boxes with an estimated value of £4m.
“We believe the drugs in this consignment were intended to supply various organised crime groups across the island of Ireland,” a PSNI spokesperson said.
"The Joint Agency Task Force was established with the aim of bringing a concerted and enhanced effort to tackle cross-jurisdictional organised crime,” they added.
"All partners within the Task Force are totally committed to working together to reduce the misery caused by drug smuggling and to dismantle the organised groups profiting from this type of criminality.”
A 53-year-old man who was arrested at the scene has since been charged with possession of a Class B controlled drug, and possession of a Class B controlled drug with intent to supply.
He has also been charged with having no driving licence and using a motor vehicle without insurance and is due to appear before Antrim Magistrates’ Court, sitting at Ballymena Magistrates’ Court today.
"We are delighted these drugs have been removed from our streets and that this income stream has been denied to the criminal network,” the psni spokesperson added.
"It isn't difficult to imagine the harm that would have been caused by this volume of drugs being dealt on street corners to vulnerable people, children and those with addiction issues.
“Some people may think that the illegal distribution of cannabis is not a big deal,” they added.
“I'd ask them to just take a moment to think about the violence and exploitation that the organised criminals behind this could have wreaked upon our communities with the millions of pounds of profit they potentially stood to make.
“With the collective efforts of partners, we'll work tirelessly to tackle such serious and organised criminality and bring those responsible to justice.
“We rely on the help of our community to do so and would appeal to anyone with information or concerns around illegal drug supply to contact us on 101.”
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See More: Drugs, Larne, Northern Ireland, Scotland
