Tuesday, February 9, 2010
£3.5m drugs haul found
Can’t see video? Update Adobe Flash Player
Video may take a moment to load. Return to Video Index
The biggest haul of heroin in the West Midlands has been seized with 75 kilos of the drug worth an estimated £3.5 million recovered from a lorry.
Police were today celebrating the swoop, the result of months of painstaking undercover work by the West Midlands Police serious and organised crime unit.
Detectives impounded a truck in Lye, Stourbridge, and arrested two men who were due to appear before Birmingham Magistrates’ Court today.
Officers are understood to have been following the vehicle from Holland before stopping and searching the lorry.
Three boxes discovered among the truck’s load were found to contain half kilo packages of heroin.
Small brick-shaped packs of the drug were tightly wrapped and had been packed in cardboard boxes. Police today released pictures of the haul recovered by officers yesterday.
The heroin is now being checked for purity and the results of these tests could add to the estimated street value of the haul.
Det Ch Supt Colin Mirfield, head of crime support at West Midland Police, today confirmed: “Seventy five kilos of heroin were recovered from a vehicle in Lye. This is worth at least £3.5 million. Two men were arrested at the scene.”
Two men, one from Holland and the other from Bedfordshire, have been charged in connection with the seizure.
The West Midlands serious and organised crime unit was set up two years ago to tackle drug and people smuggling, kidnapping and major gun crime.
Successes have included the recovery of three tonnes of cannabis, loaded firearms and Class A drugs although police today confirmed the heroin seizure was the biggest ever in the region.
See Also:
Most Commented
sport
Play Fantasy Football
Win a manager of the month award, courtesy of prize sponsor Banks's, by signing up today.
lifestyle
Latest dining reviews
Read the latest reviews by the Express & Star's dining out reviewers before you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases.
The drug war is pointless and ridiculous and cannot be won. One rule for alcohol and tobacco, the good legally available taxed drugs and another for heroin and cannabis, the “bad” illegal UNTAXED drugs.
Just to put things into perspective, deaths from heroin in UK is on average 700 per year.
Deaths from alcohol abuse in the UK is on average 40,000 per year.
Deaths from tobacco abuse in the UK is on average 114,000 per year.
The truth is, when looking at the statistics, the deaths from alcohol abuse in the UK is far greater than the number of deaths from every illegal drug combined but this is something the media and government don’t seem to like talking about.
Report abuse
Well done to the boys in “Blue Surge” it probably came from Afganistan where our boys are trying to snuff this eveil drug out as well as the Taliban and Osamas henchmen.This haul would have probably destroyed countless young lives and killed dozens more on our streets had it reached it’s destination.
Report abuse
Gordy you seem to know a lot about drugs, with these comments you must be a user.
Report abuse
Excellent point Gordy….and very well made too!!
Report abuse
Gordy, You have stated the obvious, Because of the amount of work the police are doing to keep drugs off the street, the amount of deaths from drug related illnesses are at a minimum. And because alcohol and tobacco is legal the statistics are obvoiusly high!
Report abuse
Gordy you show the statistics , but what about the deaths caused by people under the influence of drugs?. Also the crime stats for people stealing etc to buy the drugs?.
Report abuse
TonyP
You obviously are not much of a thinker, not much reason for people to think nowadays I guess besides who’s going to win xfactor.
Cheeser
What about the number of deaths caused by people NOT under the influence of drugs? I can assure you the number of deaths caused by people not under the influence of drugs is far, far greater than the number of deaths caused by people under the influence of drugs.
People are stealing to buy drugs due to prohibition. As these drugs are illegal, a black market is created where people can charge extortionate rates.
Report abuse
Gordy,
And your point is? That we should make heroin usage legal?
come back when you make a point that is useful to society…
Report abuse
Gordy you talk about not thinking but your guilty of the same offence. Because if you thought about the cost of drinking yourself into oblivion compared to one hit of crack, alcohol is a lot more, making it legal would move all the drink related deaths to drug related deaths. Whether it’s a alcoholic or a user the common link is both are trying to forget/overcome life. Your perfect world would make it easier and cheaper to achieve it. Think on Gordy!
Report abuse
Mikey
My point is the drug war is a waste of time and energy and cannot be won, can’t you read?
Come back when you are able to make a point (just one will do) instead of trolling.
Adolph.H
Hello Adolph.H, you are obviously TonyP (or a very close relative), you both start sentences with the word “Because”.
Regarding your comment on drink related deaths turning to drug related deaths – this is the problem you see, you obviously do not see alcohol as a drug, looks like the Government conditioning has worked perfectly on you, well done Adolph.
Report abuse
i agree gordy!! bryan our so called gov alongside the usa want control of the heroin over there, neva mind the oil!! or do u think they really burn all of it, throw away billions on top billions of £££!!! its a evil world we live in!! it will neva go away!! our boys are losin thre lives over there because our countrys greed!! never mind debt!!
Report abuse
Harry you obviously have never been in the forces.
or you would never make stupid comments like this, there are 43 countries involved in Afgan not just GB & USA You join the forces you expect to get shot at at sometime in your carrier it goes with the baggage, try talking to a soldier he will be proud of what he is doing not crying because he has gone to work.
Report abuse
To be fair people. I think it had reached its destination. I have worked in Lye, and live nearby. Lye is an area ravaged by heroin use. Burglaries, shoplifting, and car crime funds the habits of the people who are controlled by heroin. And yes it probably did originate from Afganistan!!
Report abuse
Gordy,
so the drugs war can’t be won, so your solution is to make them legal?
Do you think society will improve? is your theory that there will be less crime to feed the habit as the state then has to look after the junkies? We can’t even look after our existing needy folk today… Please let me know how legal heroin will improve things…
Report abuse
intresting blogging people think some are being too hard on gordy he,s jus expressing is thoughts though im not 100%sure how you can fix these probs gordy i agree with you fully on alcohol issues being ignored!
Report abuse