£5m heroin gang accused 'kept drugs in speaker'

Six people accused of being involved in Wales' largest heroin seizure kept the drugs in a speaker, a court has heard.

Shazia Ahmad and Wasim Ali, from Newport, Umar Arif, Umar Butt and Khalid Yassen, from Cardiff, and Zawed Malik from Greater Manchester, all deny conspiracy to supply the class A drug.

Cardiff Crown Court heard two cars were followed by undercover police officers.

Almost 40kg (88lbs) of heroin worth about £5m was seized between 2013 and 2014.

The jury was told the speaker was being carried in a car that was stopped by police.

Mr Butt and Mr Yassen were arrested on the M5 with 36.5kg of heroin in a speaker and suitcase in their Citroen Picasso.

Undercover officers said they followed the Picasso and a Fiat Punto "travelling in convoy" but admitted under cross examination that they did not see a "speaker box" being placed in the Picasso.

The court heard money was handed over at locations across Newport, including a Lidl car park.

The case continues.