Man charged after £2m of ketamine discovered hidden inside expanding foam

A man has appeared in court after the discovery of drugs with an estimated street value of £2.1m.

Specialist detectives from the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU) intercepted a shipment of ketamine on its arrival in the UK after five bags of the drug were discovered hidden inside boxes which had been filled with expandable foam.

John Freeman was arrested by police in Wakefield on Tuesday (Aug 11) and was subsequently charged with conspiracy to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a Class B drug.

The 45-year-old, of Woodlands Village in Wakefield, was remanded into custody ahead of a further court hearing on September 11.

A statement from YHROCU said: “Officers launched the investigation after checks by Border Force staff uncovered a total of 125kg of ketamine in five cardboard boxes hidden in expanding foam in a wooden crate sent to the UK from The Netherlands.

“The estimated street value of the drugs is £2.1 million.”