£13m coke seizure UK’s largest

CUMBRIA police have prevented cocaine with a street value of £13m from entering the UK from mainland Europe.

In what is believed to be the UK’s largest coke seizure, police discovered the drugs when they searched two vehicles entering the UK from Europe on saturday.

Detective Chief Inspector Jeff Ashton, of Cumbria CID said he could not disclose the location of the seizure as six people had been arrested in connection with it.

“There are also on-going operations with about five other forces to trace others suspected of being involved.

SM-ART THINKING

A PERFORMANCE art expert is to aid the defence team of former UDA gunman Michael Stone ahead of his impending trial at Belfast Crown Court.

Stone, 53, stormed the Assembly in November 2006 armed with explosives and a knife. He was restrained by security staff who trapped him in the revolving entrance door at Stormont.

He faces a total of 14 charges including possessing home made explosives and a real or imitation gun with intent, carrying a garrotte, three knives and an axe and assaulting security staff who trapped him.

He is also charged with trying to kill Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.

In December 2006, his defence lawyer said the explosives Stone possessed were not viable and that he did not intend to injure or endanger anyone as a consequence of his attack.

Instead he insisted the incident, which forced an evacuation of the building, was performance art. Defence lawyer, Charles McCreanor said:

“Experts have been engaged; they believe they can provide a report of an academic nature.”

The defence team are awaiting the academic study ahead of the five week trial due to commence later this month.

Films to see before you die: Far From Heaven

ROBYN CLARE SCOTT - robyn@ragazine.co.uk

ALTHOUGH Far From Heaven deliberately copies the style of 1950s melodramas, its pristine surface hides a heart-wrenching tale about forbidden love.

The prim dresses, the polite children and the gleaming houses are all present, but so is insidious prejudice and hidden pain.

Cathy Whitaker (Julianne Moore) seems to lead the perfect existence as a caring mother and neat little homemaker in a large Connecticut town, until one night she goes to fetch her husband Frank (Dennis Quaid) from the office and finds him kissing another man. From that moment onwards her world begins to collapse.