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19/06/2015
More Than 250kg Of Drugs Found Inside Fake Ambulance
A total of 270kg of illegal drugs have been found hidden inside secret compartments in a fake ambulance.
Four Dutch men were arrested after packages of cocaine, heroin, amphetamines and thousands of pills, believed to be ecstasy, were discovered hidden inside specially constructed concealments behind interior panels and under the floor of the ambulance.
The arrests follow a surveillance operation by the National Crime Agency (NCA), who watched two men in paramedic uniforms drive the ambulance into Birmingham on Tuesday morning where they met with two other men.
NCA officers, assisted by West Midlands Police, moved in and arrested all four men at a car park on Hill Street in Smethwick.
Another two men from London seen leaving the car park shortly before the ambulance arrived were also arrested nearby.
Brent Lyon, from the NCA's Armed Operations Unit, said: "This was an audacious plot. We believe the two men in the ambulance posed as paramedics to avoid unwanted attention when entering the country through Harwich. Our officers were ready and waiting though and stopped the drugs from being distributed to crime groups across the country."
The four Dutch men – Olof Schoon, aged 37; Leonardus Bijlsma, aged 55; Dennis Vogelaar, aged 28; and Richard Engelsbel, aged 50 – were charged with drug offences and appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court this morning.
All four have been remanded in custody until 02 July when they will appear at Birmingham Crown Court.
The two men from London have been bailed pending further enquiries.
(MH/JP)
Four Dutch men were arrested after packages of cocaine, heroin, amphetamines and thousands of pills, believed to be ecstasy, were discovered hidden inside specially constructed concealments behind interior panels and under the floor of the ambulance.
The arrests follow a surveillance operation by the National Crime Agency (NCA), who watched two men in paramedic uniforms drive the ambulance into Birmingham on Tuesday morning where they met with two other men.
NCA officers, assisted by West Midlands Police, moved in and arrested all four men at a car park on Hill Street in Smethwick.
Another two men from London seen leaving the car park shortly before the ambulance arrived were also arrested nearby.
Brent Lyon, from the NCA's Armed Operations Unit, said: "This was an audacious plot. We believe the two men in the ambulance posed as paramedics to avoid unwanted attention when entering the country through Harwich. Our officers were ready and waiting though and stopped the drugs from being distributed to crime groups across the country."
The four Dutch men – Olof Schoon, aged 37; Leonardus Bijlsma, aged 55; Dennis Vogelaar, aged 28; and Richard Engelsbel, aged 50 – were charged with drug offences and appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court this morning.
All four have been remanded in custody until 02 July when they will appear at Birmingham Crown Court.
The two men from London have been bailed pending further enquiries.
(MH/JP)
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