£160K worth of drugs seized in Magherafelt in just over a year

Herbal cannabis ‘topped’ the list of seizures between November 2012 and November 2013.

The estimated street value for the drugs seized for the Magherafelt policing area for the period is £158,864.90.

In response to a freedom of information request, the PSNI revealed that 44 people were arrested and 21 were charged during the period.

Nine were subsequently convicted for one or more drug offences while some individuals were convicted of multiple drug offences.

The highest number of seizures happened in October of last year when there were 14 recorded ‘incidents’.

March was another successful month for Magherafelt PSNI with 13 seizures and their good fortune continued until the end of the year with nine in November.

A total of 777.24gms of cannabis was recovered, the bulk of it being herbal (495.24gms).

Opiates, included 84gms of heroin powder; methadone 48gms; methadone powder 2gms; opiate powder 86gms; opiate (mL) 48gms.

There was 1.02gms of cocaine seized while benzodiazepines - diazepam and tamazepam tablets - totalled 35 gms.

One of the largest seizures was in Ballynahone Road area of Maghera last November when cannabis, with a street value estimated at £125,000, was recovered.

Although most of the seizures were carried out under the watch of Magherafelt Area Commander Chief Inspector Sam Donaldson, who has now moved to PSNI headquarters, his successor stressed the work to combat illegal drugs would continue.