COURT TOLD OF POLICE OPERATION IN ECSTASY CASE

THE jury in a case where seven people are accused of conspiring to supply
Ecstasy tablets with a street value of pounds 100,000 has heard details of
the surveillance operation that led to their arrests.

Wood Green Crown Court was told yesterday that items bought from a B & Q
store at Graftan Way, Ipswich were discovered by police officers at the
Ipswich home of one of the defendants, David Addis.

These included a Stanley knife, a builder's bucket, black duck tape, a
hacksaw and spare blade, as well as brown tape and three pairs of household
gloves.

Giving evidence on the second week of the trial was B & Q sales assistant
Susan Tournay Godfrey who told the jury that she was paid with cash but
"what struck me was the amount of cash that he'd already pulled out of his
pocket".

One of the items bought was a Multi-Pro vacuum cleaner which the
prosecution claims was to be used to smuggle the Ecstasy tablets into
Northern Ireland.

The seven deny conspiring to supply Ecstasy between October 1 and November
19 last year.

They are: David Addis, (19), of 47 Broomhill Road, Ipswich; Damian Thomas
(29), of Manor Road, Colchester; Kelly King (22), of St John's Road,
Colchester; William Potter, (32), of no fixed address; John Wilson, (23),
and James Buchanan, (32) both of 19 Drumcree Grove, Portadown, and Gary
Fulton, (26), of Rothrean House, Portadown, both Co Armagh, Northern Ireland.

The court also heard evidence from a Romford based cab driver who drove
Potter in a pounds 50 taxi ride to Ipswich on November 18 although he had
first asked to be taken to Harold Wood railway station.

When the cab arrived in Ipswich Potter came out and entered the Inkerman
public house on the corner of Norwich Road and Chevalier Street. This was
observed by undercover police officers who noted that the man entering the
pub was carrying a blue holdall.

Prosecutor Mr Mark Norman also read statements to the court room from
police who carried out a search of Addis's home.

The statements highlighted the various items, not only in the downstairs
toilet but also in the 'wheelie' bin outside.

The prosecution case which continued today, is expected to end shortly.
Defence for Addis is expected tomorrow.

The case continues.