Man being questioned at Strand Road police station over £66,000 cannabis seizure in Belgium
A man from Derry has been arrested in connection with the seizure £66,000 worth of cannabis in Belgium this month.
The 40-year-old man was arrested in the Carnhill area earlier today by PSNI detectives.
Belgium police seized £64,000 worth of cannabis on Tuesday who alerted the National Crime Agency who in turn contacted the PSNI who set up a joint operation in the drug smuggling operation.
Earlier this month, Belgium police had seized a further £66,000 worth of drugs bringing the total confiscated in two weeks to £130,000.
Detective Inspector Tom McClure, from the PSNI’s Reactive and Organised Crime Branch, said: “Our enquiries with the National Crime Agency are continuing.
“A property was searched in Carnhill by PSNI detectives and the suspect is being questioned at Strand Road police station in relation to a number of offences including the attempted importation of class B drugs.”
Earlier today, Christopher James Wauchope, 40, of Strabane Road, was refused bail at Strabane Magistrates’ Court and remanded in custody over the seizure of £64,000 of the cannabis which was addressed to a ‘Christopher Walker’.
The 40-year-old was arrested yesterday in Castlederg.
During police interviews, Wauchope told detectives he knew about the parcel but denied knowing who sent it.
He claimed that his payment was to be have been a small amount of cannabis for his own personal use.
Wauchope is to appear back in court via videolink from Maghaberry jail on Thursday, April 21.