Four men have been brought before the courts after police recovered suspected cocaine estimated to be worth £1.1m during an operation in the greater Belfast area. The men, aged 26, 27, 33 and 34, were detained on Monday and Tuesday as part of a seizure that also uncovered herbal cannabis valued at roughly £15,000, alongside 14kg of suspected cocaine.
All four face charges of possessing Class A controlled drugs, as well as possessing Class A controlled drugs with intent to supply. The 33-year-old among them faces an additional charge of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.
Was anyone else arrested?
Yes, a fifth man, aged 59, was also taken into custody as part of the same operation and remains held while enquiries continue. According to the Irish News, all five men were detained following the drugs discovery, with officers confirming that investigations into the wider operation are still ongoing.
How does this compare to other recent drug seizures?
This is not the only large-scale drug bust reported in the region recently. Earlier this year, a 30-year-old man was charged after police in County Tyrone seized around £1m of suspected cocaine and also found indecent images of children, a case that similarly pointed to links with organised crime networks. Separately, gardaí south of the border charged two men after an €8.5m drugs seizure in Meath and Louth earlier this month, underlining the continued scale of cross-border narcotics trafficking on the island of Ireland.
What happens next?
The four charged men were scheduled to appear before Belfast Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. No further court dates have been confirmed for the 59-year-old man who remains in custody while police continue their enquiries into the operation.
Key Facts
- Suspected cocaine seized had an estimated street value of £1.1m.
- Herbal cannabis worth around £15,000 was also recovered.
- Four men, aged 26, 27, 33 and 34, were charged with Class A drug offences.
- A fifth man, aged 59, remains in custody as enquiries continue.
- The four charged men were due before Belfast Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
