Northampton address raided by officers investigating £200,000 international drug smuggling operation

National Crime Agency officers raided an address in Northampton as part of an investigation into an international drugs smuggling operation.

Detectives revealed a man and woman, both aged 25, were arrested at a property in Uppingham Street, in the Semilong area of the town, as part of a probe into the attempted importation of 11 kilos of class A narcotics through East Midlands Airport.

Two kilos of cocaine, four kilos of ketamine and five kilos of amphetamines — worth a combined £200,000 — were seized after being discovered hidden in a package sent from the Netherlands containing pond filtration equipment.

Northamptonshire Police officers backed-up the NCA unit during Tuesday's early-morning raid.

NCA branch operations manager Michael Pope said: “The criminal gangs involved in drug distribution often also have links to violence and exploitation.

“Taking drugs out at source stops those groups from being able to profit from their illicit commodities.

“Working with partners like Border Force and Northamptonshire Police we are determined to do all we can to prevent supplies reaching criminal hands across the East Midlands.”

Message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper while doing your essential shop.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you