Thursday, July 10, 2003

Five charged in £1m cocaine haul

Three people have been charged with drug offences after the police seized almost £1m worth of cocaine in a raid.

Five people were initially arrested - two men and two women from the Newport and Risca area and a man from Essex - during an operation involving 28 officers from Gwent Police's organised crime unit.

The people were arrested on Wednesday and three of them were remanded in custody after being charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs at Newport magistrates court on Thursday.

They are William Avery, 48, of Wharf Road, Harold Evans, 46, of Tone Close and Valerie Shepherd, 52, of Moorland Park, all of Newport.

Police seized £900,000 of cocaine and cannabis resin.

The three are due to appear before Newport Crown Court on 18 July.