Three men charged after major cocaine bust in Ipswich

The details: Officers from the Sentinel South Team stopped a vehicle on Norwich Road at just after 15:30 on Wednesday, 26 March.

Following a search of the car and its two occupants, police seized 12 bags of cocaine and arrested the pair.

The arrests led officers to subsequently search a property in Tacket Street, Ipswich, where they discovered:

• A large amount of uncut cocaine
• 75 bags of cocaine
• A quantity of suspected cannabis

Two additional men were arrested at the address.

What's next: Three men have been charged:

• Erand Ahmadaj, 22, from Gillingham in Kent, charged with possession of cocaine with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession of criminal property (money), and possession of a false identity document.
• Fabio Kurit, 35, from Tacket Street, Ipswich, charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to supply, possession of cannabis, and possession of criminal property (money).
• Rupert Lea, 49, from Felixstowe, charged with possession of cocaine with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

All three appeared at Ipswich Magistrates' Court on Friday, 28 March. Ahmadaj and Kurit were remanded in custody while Lea was granted bail.

Their next hearing is scheduled at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday, 25 April.

The bottom line: Four suspects were arrested in total, with the fourth – a 36-year-old man – released on bail until Monday, 2 June, pending further enquiries.