17/06/2009

£10m Heroin Seized In Drugs Bust

A man has been jailed for 10 years after police seized almost £10 million of heroin at a house in London, as police appeal for information on another man wanted in connection with the haul.

Calvin Markall, 20, of Menai Way, Rumney, Cardiff pleaded guilty on 28 April to supplying significant amounts of heroin throughout London prior to the seizure.

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police's Central Task Force raided a three-bedroom house that was being used as a safe house in Meath Road, Forest Gate on 4 December 2008.

Inside the house, officers found four brown cardboard boxes stacked on top of a single bed in one of the side bedrooms. Split between the boxes were 579 envelopes stashed with a total of 149.35 kilos of heroin.

The drugs were high grade with a purity of 60-65% - with a street value of £9.95m and was packaged ready for distribution.

DI Colin Stephenson, from the Met’s Central Task Force East, said: "This was one of the most significant drugs seizures by the Met last year, and has seriously disrupted a major criminal planning to flood London with heroin over the Christmas period.

"The fact that Calvin Markall pleaded guilty demonstrates the thoroughness of the investigation we conducted and the overwhelming evidence we obtained.

"Today's sentencing is yet another blow to those who attempt to supply drugs in London."

Markall was seen leaving and locking the property with a set of house keys. Officers stopped him on the street and subsequently arrested him on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

Enquiries are still ongoing in the case to trace Kyle Jason Johnson who is wanted for questioning in connection with the supply of the seized drugs.

Johnson had been residing in the Stratford area up until December 2008, and police believe he may still be in London. However, he has strong links to Wales and specifically Cardiff.

Johnson is 24, described as a light skinned black male, 6ft 1in tall, of medium build with short shaved black hair. He has a Welsh accent.

(JM/BMcc)

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