Cannabis with street value of £2 million seized during searches in Belfast

Cannabis with an estimated street value of £2 million has been seized following a number of searches across Belfast. Five people were also arrested.

Those arrested included four men aged 59, 46, 39 and 28 and a 34-year-old woman.

They were arrested in the south and east Belfast areas on suspicion of offences in relation to the supply of these drugs and a number of immigration offences.

They have been taken to Musgrave Serious Crime suite for questioning.

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Speaking on Friday about the operation Detective Superintendent Bobby Singleton said detectives from PSNI's Organised Crime Unit, assisted by local police officers and colleagues from Immigration and Enforcement, carried out searches at seven addresses across Belfast on Thursday.

“As a result of this operation cannabis with a potential street value of £2 million was seized. This is a significant haul and demonstrates our commitment to removing dangerous drugs from our communities. We are following several lines of enquiry, one is a potential link to a Triad organised crime gang and another is potential links to paramilitary groups,” he said.

“As we approach the festive party season I want people to think about where their money is going before they hand over cash for recreational drugs.

“Many people who spend money on a casual transaction at the weekend think that it isn’t harming anyone else; the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only is it illegal to purchase these drugs but it fuels the local drug trade which causes irreparable damage and loss to many families and individuals whose lives it destroys. When you hand over money for a small amount of drugs at the weekend, this contributes to the violence and intimidation inflicted by merciless crime gangs. It can go towards buying a gun used in an attack against someone who has a drug debt; or a get-away car used in a crime,” he added.