In the frame: Man and woman quizzed as drugs found hidden in pictures
ECSTASY RECOVERED IN INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION INTO SMUGGLING RACKET
TWO people have been arrested after ecstasy hidden in picture frames and sealant tubes was seized as part of an international investigation into the smuggling of the drug.
A probe into an organised crime gang believed to be behind the importing of a ‘significant’ amount of MDMA into the UK was launched by the National Crime Agency, GMP and Border Force.
A man and a woman from Moston, both aged 41, were arrested in the early hours on suspicion of being concerned with the importation and exportation of class A controlled drugs. The couple were arrested at their home.
Further addresses were raided, including a bar and nightclub in the centre of Manchester and a residential address in the Harworth area of Doncaster. Searches were carried out at all three addresses, and thousands of pounds in cash plus a small quantity of drugs were recovered.
Officers from the NCA – Britain’s answer to the FBI – also identified people living at the addresses who are in the country illegally who will now be dealt with by Immigration Enforcement.
Two potential victims of modern slavery were also safeguarded.
The NCA investigation started after five parcels with a significant amount of MDMA in crystalline form - destined for addresses in the
UK – were intercepted within a month. The first was found in Belgium on November 8 and the following four were intercepted between December 5 and 6 by Border Force at Coventry International Postal Hub.
The exact weight and purity of the MDMA is yet to be determined, but the amount is likely to be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
NCA investigators believe the crime group are also responsible for exporting MDMA, with destinations including New Zealand.
The NCA investigation is being supported by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and Immigration Enforcement.
Jon Hughes, senior investigating officer at the NCA, said: “Drug trafficking is a major source of revenue for organised criminals, many of whom are involved in other criminality.
“Disrupting the supply of Class A drugs and the violence it fuels on our streets is a priority for the NCA, alongside the safeguarding of potential victims of modern slavery.” Chief Inspector Zac Fraser, of GMP’s City of Manchester division, said: “We welcome the action taken by our colleagues at the NCA to disrupt and dismantle serious organised criminality within the communities of Greater Manchester.”