Drugs raid may have ignited violent clashes

POLICE are trying to establish whether loyalist paramilitaries were behind a series of disturbances that took place in Carrick, Eden and Ballyclare area last Tuesday night.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Oct 2010, 13:37 BST
Updated 20th Oct 2010, 13:39 BST

The trouble began at Castlemara Drive about 9.20pm, when police responding to reports of an assault were set upon by between 20-25 masked men. Armed with bats, the thugs threw fireworks, bottles, bricks, paint and petrol bombs at police, causing a minor facial injury to one female officer and damaging a PSNI car.

Meanwhile, the window of a police Land Rover was also broken at North Road, and there was further trouble in Eden after a number of youths blocked the road for a short time with burning wheelie bins.

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Later that night, more attacks on police took place in the Grange estate of Ballyclare, with one officer requiring hospital treatment.

The PSNI have said that the disorder could have been sparked by an earlier police drugs operation at houses in the Castlemara estate. A small quantity of herbal cannabis and cannabis resin was recovered during the search. A 37-year-old man also allegedly caused a disturbance at the scene and was arrested. He was later charged with disorderly behaviour, criminal damage and resisting arrest and is to appear in court next month.

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Related topics:PoliceCarrickEdenBallyclareLand RoverPSNI