Stranger left £223k in man's car boot, court hears

A man accused of involvement in Wales' largest heroin seizure did not know he had £223,000 in the boot of his car, a court has heard.

Zawed Malik, from Manchester, said a stranger left the "luggage" there before he was arrested with it at a Monmouthshire petrol station.

Mr Malik is one of six men on trial at Cardiff Crown Court, where they all deny conspiracy to supply heroin.

Nearly 40 kilograms of the drug, with a street value of £5 million was seized.

The other defendants are Shazia Ahmad and Wasim Ali both from Newport and Umar Arif, Umar Butt and Khalid Yassen from Cardiff.

They were all arrested in connection with Operation Frank, the largest heroin seizure ever made by Welsh police in 2013 and 2014.

'In fear'

Mr Malik denies travelling to Newport to collect "drug money", saying he was told to pick a stranger up from the city and drive him to Manchester Airport.

But after getting into his Vauxhall Insignia, he told the court the man exited saying "something urgent has come up".

Mr Malik denied knowing what was in the bag he left in his boot and said he was told someone would contact him about picking it up.

He admitted lying to police in interview, saying he was "in fear for myself and my family".

The trial continues.