|
Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
|
|
Court hears of massive drugs find unknown BBC Wednesday 29 Nov 2000 A drugs trial at the High Court in Edinburgh has been told that a ship's cargo of cannabis had a street value of £43m. More than eight tonnes of the drug were recovered from the yacht Red Scorpion earlier this year after Customs officers boarded the vessel in the North Sea. The 185 bales found on board was the single largest quantity of drugs to be recovered by the authorities in Scotland this year. Giving evidence at the trial, Detective Constable Kenneth Coutts said he had never come across such an amount in one drugs haul. Christian Ekkebus, 29, Albert Hulst, 43, and Arjeh Vandjik, 33 all deny being knowingly concerned in the carrying or concealing of cannabis resin. Mr Ekkebus has lodged a special defence claiming threats were made against him and his wife. Defence lawyers acting for the accused are disputing the value placed on the drugs by the prosecution. They say prices on the street would be lower in Amsterdam or England. The Red Scorpion was first spotted by customs officers in June this year near Orkney. They became suspicious and trailed the boat for 24 hours before ordering it to stop and be boarded. When drugs were found on board, the vessel was taken to Aberdeen harbour and the crew were arrested. The trial continues.
After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.
|
This page was created by the Cannabis Campaigners' Guide.
Feel free to link to this page!