Drugs and £250k cash seized outside Newry

A close-up of some of the bags of cash that were seized from a premises in Cloughoge, outside Newry, on Thursday. Clear plastic evidence bags, with oranges seals, are piled against a wall. Bank notes of different denominations, including bundles of 50 euro notes0 are visible in the bags.Pacemaker

The PSNI released a photo of the banknotes they seized from a premises in Cloughoge

Police investigating the supply of drugs by gangs on both sides of the Irish border have seized about £250,000 in cash from a property in County Armagh.

Detectives made the discovery during a search of a commercial and residential property in Cloughoge, outside Newry, on Thursday.

The cash consisted of both Sterling and Euro notes and the drugs included suspected Class A and Class B substances worth an estimated £50,000 in total.

The officers also seized illicit cigarettes and "a significant quantity" of jewellery during the operation.

'Financial blow' to organised crime

The searches were carried out by detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland's (PSNI) Organised Crime Branch.

"This cash has been seized as the suspected proceeds of crime and next week we will lodge an application with the court to have this cash permanently confiscated," said PSNI Det Insp Sweeney.

"I have no doubt forfeiture of such sums represents a real financial blow to those organised criminal groups involved in this type of activity."

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