Northern Ireland

Six charged after operation targeting loyalist paramilitary activity

A major police operation last week at various properties in east Belfast
A major police operation last week at various properties in east Belfast A major police operation last week at various properties in east Belfast

SIX people were charged with drugs offences yesterday following a police operation targeting the east Belfast UVF.

Police carried out seven searches at locations across north Belfast, east Belfast, Newtownards and Newtownabbey, and suspected drugs were seized from four addresses.

A 46-year-old woman and five men – two aged 24, and others aged 32, 37 and 40 – were arrested and later charged with being involved in the supply of class A drugs.

The men aged 32 and 40 were also charged with possession of class A drugs, and the two 24-year-old men were also charged with possession of class B drugs.

All are due to appear at Belfast Magistrates Court on April 18.

The search operation was led by the PSNI's Paramilitary Crime Task Force.

It follows a major police swoop last week also targeting the east Belfast UVF in which 11 men were arrested following raids on 14 properties in Belfast, Newtownards and Comber.

Several armoured vehicles were seen parked in residential areas in Belfast last week as officers searched properties in what police described as a "significant operation".

Nine men were later charged over a range of offences, one was released on bail pending further enquiries and one was released to be reported to the Public Prosecution Service.

On Wednesday, another man aged 33 was arrested on suspicion of being involved in supplying of class A drugs and was charged the following day.

Police said yesterday's searches bring to more than 20 the number carried out in the past week.

Chief Superintendent Jonathan Roberts said the east Belfast UVF exist for the "sole purpose of exploiting and controlling their own communities".

He said the loyalist group has been a priority for the police task force due to the scale of their involvement in crime including "the supply of drugs and the violence and coercion that goes hand in hand with this".

"The supply of drugs in our community does nothing but cause harm, cause misery and put people in fear," he added.

"Those that engage in this type of activity can expect to be investigated, they can expect to be arrested, they can expect to be interviewed and every effort will be made to put them before the courts so they can face justice.

"The community has spoken loud and clear that they don't tolerate this type of activity, they won’t tolerate this type of activity and these actions come in part as a result of the support we have received from local communities."

He urged anyone with "living in fear of criminals" to phone police on 101 or provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Paramilitary Crime Task Force was established by the PSNI, HM Revenue and Customs and the National Crime Agency as part of a Stormont executive plan on tackling paramilitary activity, criminality and organised crime.