Two men arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs following searches of church grounds in the Garvaghy area of Portadown have been released on bail, police have confirmed.
The men, aged 20 and 40, were arrested as part of a major operation by the PSNI’s Organised Crime Branch which saw suspected Class A drugs with an estimated street value of £500,000 seized and four people detained.
In an update issued by police, it was confirmed the two men have now been released on bail to allow for further enquiries.
The arrests followed a series of coordinated searches carried out on Friday, December 19.
Detective Inspector Stickland previously said that shortly before 5pm, officers stopped and searched a vehicle in the vicinity of Northway, Portadown.
During the search, a significant quantity of suspected Class A controlled drugs was seized along with a sum of cash.
The two occupants of the vehicle – a 25-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman – were arrested on suspicion of a number of drug-related offences. Both were later released on bail pending further police enquiries.
A short time later, officers stopped two men who were acting suspiciously within the grounds of a church in the Garvaghy area. Following a search of the surrounding area, police recovered a further significant quantity of suspected Class A drugs.
The men, aged 20 and 40, were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A controlled drug.
Follow-up searches were subsequently carried out by officers from the Tactical Support Group and Fermanagh District Support Team at properties in the Garvaghy and Craigavon areas. These searches resulted in the seizure of additional suspected Class A drugs and a sum of cash.
Detective Inspector Stickland said police would continue to target those involved in drug supply across Northern Ireland.
“We will continue to tackle the supply, use and harm caused by illegal drugs in Northern Ireland and we’re grateful for the support of the community,” he said.
Anyone with information or concerns is asked to contact police on 101. Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
