Belfast Police make major cocaine haul
A sophisticated international drugs smuggling operation has been disrupted, according to the police.
It follows the seizure of cocaine with a street value of more than £1m in Belfast on Thursday.
Guns, ammunition and about £10,000 in cash were discovered in a follow-up operation in the Parkhall estate in Antrim, a PSNI spokesman said.
The weapons recovered with the cocaine were a shotgun, handgun and a handgun which fires blanks.
The drugs were found in a van which was stopped on the M1 motorway near the Broadway roundabout in Belfast.
One person was arrested.
The head of the Drugs Squad, Superintendent John Fintan, said it was a major setback for the smugglers.
"The seizure speaks for itself - it has been very significant," he said.
"It confirms what we have said, that cocaine is an emerging problem in Northern Ireland society.
"It's certainly not out of control, but the police will be focusing our priorities towards it."
A number of operations in connection with the find, including searches, were carried out.
The seizure is understood to be the result of months of investigation into the activities of a major criminal gang.
Security Minister Ian Pearson congratulated the police on the haul which also included a hydraulic press, scales and bags.
"This is another significant success in our relentless campaign against organised criminals. It follows other major successes including the seizure of £1m worth of cocaine in October 2003," he said.
"The follow up operation involving international counterparts in Holland resulted in the recovery of 750,000 ecstasy tablets together with chemicals used in the processing of drugs and firearms.
"I pay tribute to the efforts of the police, and other law enforcement agencies, who are working tirelessly to remove these gangsters from our streets and disrupt their activities," said Mr Pearson, who is also Chair of the Organised Crime Task Force.
The previous largest cocaine discovery in Northern Ireland was made last October by police during operations in the Lurgan and Lisburn areas.
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