A 39-YEAR-old woman was arrested after cocaine with a street value of over £88,000 (€98,200) was seized during a raid targeting paramilitaries involved in drug dealing in West Belfast.

Drug dealing paraphernalia, 4.5kg of suspected mixing agent and a spent bullet casing were also found during the search today. 

The raid was carried out by detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s (PSNI) Paramilitary Crime Task Force. The unit was investigating suspected drugs activity linked to the INLA.

Detective Inspector Hamilton said the raid highlights the task force’s determination to tackle drug activity linked to paramilitaries.

“We will continue to robustly and proactively pursue those drug criminals using paramilitaritrism as a badge of convenience, who are intent on damaging our communities by supplying illegal drugs for their own personal gain,” he said.

These drugs cause nothing but misery and pain, not only to the people who take them but also to their families who deal with the distressing fall out associated with drugs, including debt and intimidation.

Detective Inspector Hamilton appealed to anyone who has information about drug dealing in Northern Ireland to contact the PSNI.