A pill press capable of producing millions of fake tablets on an industrial scale was seized by officers.
Police searched business premises in the Bowburn area of County Durham as part of an ongoing investigation at around 2pm on Thursday April 25.
Entry was forced into a storage unit at the site and hundreds of thousands of tablets were discovered, which have since been confirmed to be Class C drugs, mainly Bromazolam.
Two men were arrested following the discovery of an illicit pill pressing system as well as numerous equipment used to mix drugs, manufacture pills and package them in blister packs.
A secondary storage site was located at Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, where thousands more tablets were found.
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Two other men have been arrested and the overall operation is estimated to be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Four men aged between 23 and 52 were subsequently charged with being involved in the production and supply of Class C drugs and are due to appear at Newcastle Crown Court later this month.
Detective Chief Inspector Marc Michael, of Northumbria Police, said: “This operation involved staff from across the organization who demonstrated excellent teamwork in uncovering and dismantling a drug operation. this magnitude.
“The tablets have been confirmed to be Class C drugs which can cause serious harm to anyone who misuses them.
“Criminals involved in this illegal trade prey on the addiction and desperation of some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.
“Under the banner of Operation Sentinel, we have zero tolerance for drug crime and will use all tools and means at our disposal to disrupt criminal organizations and pursue offenders.”
Expensive machinery used in the production process was seized along with a large quantity of tablets.
Anyone who suspects drug use or supply in their area is asked to report it to the police via the ‘Report’ page on our website or by calling 101. You can also call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
