OFFICERS FROM THE PSNI’s Organised Crime Unit have seized drugs with an estimated value of close to €7.9m after a cross-border operation with gardaí.

Today’s seizure was the result of a joint agency task force between the PSNI and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

Following a search of a premises in the Mallusk area of Newtownabbey this morning, PSNI detectives located and seized suspected cannabis, cocaine and ketamine concealed within food packaging.

A 28-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of supplying Class A and Class B drugs.

PSNI Detective Inspector Conor Sweeney said it’s understood that the drugs were intended to supply various markets across the UK.

Image of the drugs that were contained within the food packaging.

He remarked that the joint agency task force with gardaí was established with the aim of “bringing a concerted and enhanced effort to tackle cross-jurisdictional organised crime”.

“All partners within the Task Force are totally committed to working together to reduce the misery caused by drug smuggling and to dismantle the organised groups profiting from this type of criminality,” said Sweeney.

“It is not difficult to imagine the harm that would have been caused by this volume of drugs being dealt on street corners within our communities to vulnerable people, children and those with addictions issues,” he added.

Sweeney also remarked that the criminals involved would have “wreaked mayhem” with the profit they potentially stood to make.

“I am delighted the drugs have been removed from circulation and that this income stream has been denied to the criminal network,” said Sweeney.

He added that there is “still much work to be done to tackle such serious and organised criminality” and appealed to anyone with information to make contact with police.