Police seize pounds 100m drugs haul
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Your support makes all the difference.Police and customs officials have smashed a massive international drugs racket and seized a haul worth pounds 100m.
The huge consignment, hidden inside aluminium ingots, was recovered in Holland with an arsenal of weapons including hand-grenades. Ten men including a millionaire "businessman" from Liverpool were arrested.
Merseyside police said: "During the early hours of 24 October the Dutch police raided a number of premises and arrested 10 people in relation to the importation of approximately 750kg of cocaine (value pounds 75m) imported from South America, concealed inside aluminium ingots that were inside a container that had been consigned from Venezuela to Rotterdam.
"During the search of these premises substantial quantities of drugs, false passports, money and firearms including hand grenades and 100 CS gas canisters were seized." Also recovered were 1.6 tons of cannabis resin, 50kg of heroin and 50kg.
The statement added: "Among those arrested were several British nationals. They included Curtis Warren from Merseyside, Tony Farrell from Greater Manchester, Stephen Whitehead from Lancashire, Lee Mason from Liverpool, William Fitzgerald from Liverpool and William Riley from Liverpool. "Simultaneous searches were made by police and customs officers to 20 addresses on Merseyside and in the north-west of England. A quantity of money and firearms were recovered in these searches.
"The success of this operation is the result of very close co-operation during the last six months between the Dutch police and a UK special task force made up of Customs and Excise officers from the National Investigation Service and police officers from the north-west regional crime squad dedicated drugs unit which was co-ordinated by the National Criminal Intelligence Service.
"The Dutch police are to be complimented on their excellent work and the entire operation is a good example of international co-operation and joint UK customs and police working in the fight against international drugs traffickers.
"This type of interchange and co-operation is essential in stemming secondary distribution of drugs within the EU."
Acting Detective Superintendent Mike Keogh from the regional crime squad added: "It is very significant. We believe the Dutch and ourselves have broken up a major international trafficking organisation that has been responsible for the supply of huge amounts of drugs into the UK and in particular the north-west of England."
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