Ecstasy tablets destined for Northern Ireland with a street value of up to €10 million were seized by police in a major operation near Amsterdam today.
Drugs squad officers in Belfast investigating trafficking links with theparamilitary Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) were involved.
The seizure was the largest yet involving drug trafficking in NorthernIreland.
Two Dutch nationals were arrested and 750,000 tablets were intercepted afterpolice swooped on a house outside Amsterdam.
Today's discovery followed raids in Lisburn, Co Antrim and Lurgan, Co Armaghlast week when cocaine with a street value of over €1.3 million was seized. One man has been charged.
PSNI Drugs Squad officers believe today's European wide police operation hashad a major impact on the drugs manufacture and supply route to the LVF.
The LVF has issued a statement denying involvement in last week's cocaineseizure, claiming retribution would be taken against anyone using its name. It added it was opposed to the distribution of all illegal drugs and welcomedthe eradication of this practice.
But police said today's operation formed part on an ongoing investigation intoalleged drug dealing activities by the LVF in Mid Ulster and was linked to therecent cocaine haul as well as a number of major ecstasy seizures.