A MAN has been arrested after police seized almost half-a-million pounds worth of drugs from addresses across Belfast.
Class C controlled drugs and medication with a potential street value of £450,000 was discovered during searches of four addresses in North and East Belfast on Thursday.
Police suspect the drugs, which are labelled as Pregabalin, are counterfeit, adding that those consuming them 'are effectively playing Russian roulette'.
"A large quantity of these drugs appear to have been imported from outside the EU and bear all the hallmarks of being counterfeit and as such are not licenced for human consumption in the UK or EU," said Detective Inspector Kelly of the PSNI.
"The majority are labelled as 300mg Pregabalin which is a strong dose. However their exact content may not be what is described on the packaging.
'People have lost their lives'
"If you purchase and consume these drugs not only are you funding organised criminal gangs activities, you are effectively playing Russian roulette with your own life.
"Sadly in recent times a number of people have lost their lives to consumption of medication similar to this or mixing with other medications.
"Drug dealers do not care about people's lives, they just want easy cash.
"The Police Service of Northern Ireland, working closely with other Organised Crime Task Force partners are committed to removing dangerous drugs from our streets.
"I have no doubt lives will have been saved through the removal of these particular drugs."
The 34-year-old man arrested by police has been interviewed by detectives in relation to a substantial seizure.
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