FIVE MEN WERE ARRESTED IN A RAID ON A WANDSWORTH T

FIVE MEN WERE ARRESTED IN A RAID ON A WANDSWORTH TRUCK
YARD AS THEY UNLOADED A MASSIVE SHIPMENT OF CANNABIS RESIN, THE
OLD BAILEY HEARD ON FRIDAY.

A JURY HEARD 975 KILOGRAMS OF THE DRUG WAS SEIZED.

ITS STREET VALUE WAS MORE THAN TWO MILLION POUNDS, SAID
MR DAVID PAGET, PROSECUTING.

THE SHIPMENT WAS BROUGHT INTO THE COUNTRY FROM EUROPE,
VIA A DUTCH REGISTERED LORRY.

MR PAGET SAID THE LORRY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DELIVERING
SPARE CAR PARTS TO HAMPSHIRE.

BUT HIDDEN AMONGST THE TYRES AND AXLES WERE 64 CARDBOARD
BOXES STUFFED WITH DRUGS, THE JURY HEARD.

POLICE SWOOPED AS THE LORRY WAS BEING UNLOADED AT THE
YARD IN YORK ROAD ON APRIL 2 LAST YEAR.

THE RAID WAS THE RESULT OF A SECRET OBSERVATION
OPERATION MOUNTED BY BRITISH CUSTOMS.

THEY HAD BEEN OBSERVING THE MOVEMENTS OF A NUMBER OF
ITALIAN BUSINESSMAN.

ONE OF THEM,GUISEPPE CONTI,36, WAS SEEN TO MEET THE
DRIVER OF THE LORRY, MAX TENTIJ,42, AT A SERVICE STATION ON THE
A2 NEAR COBBIN, KENT, SAID COUNSEL.

THE JURY HEARD THE MEN RECOGNISED EACH OTHER BECAUSE
THEY WERE BOTH CARRYING A FRENCH NEWSPAPER.

MR PAGET SAID A NOTE WAS LATER TAKEN FROM TATJIT WHICH
READ:”WATCH FOR A SMALL MAN CARRYING A LE FIGARO NEWSPAPER.

”
CONTI AND TATJIT, BOTH OF NO FIXED ADDRESS DENY BEING
KNOWLINGLY CONCERNED IN THE IMPORTATION OF THE DRUG.

ALSO DENYING THE CHARGE ARE GERALD SWAIN,52, OF WEY
HOUSE, CHURCH STREET, ST JOHNS WOOD, DONALD MACLEOD,53, OF
MAITLAND PARK ROAD, HAMPSTEAD; MICHAEL NOLAN, 30, OF CHURCH
STREET, ST JOHNS WOOD AND PAUL PICCONE,21, OF AUDEN PLACE,
MANLEY STREET, CAMDEN TOWN.

TRIAL CONTINUES.

ENDS.

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