§ Lord MELCHETTasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they can confirm as stated in court that it was due to the vigilance of a member of Her Majesty's Customs and Exercise recently formed Mobile Task Force that 32 kilos of heroin were seized from the rear wheels of two Volkswagen saloon cars on the Motor Vessel "Huating" when it arrived at the Royal Albert Docks in September 1978, and that the attention of the Customs officer concerned was drawn to one of the cars because its rear tyres were flat.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, TREASURY (Lord Cockfield)I can confirm that the initial detection of 32 kilos of heroin in the rear wheels of two Volkswagen saloon cars at the Royal Albert Docks in September 1978 was a result of the vigilance of an officer of Customs and Excise who was serving in the newly formed Mobile Task Force.
As I indicated in my Answer on 4th June 1980, and as was stated in court, 17.65 kilos of the heroin were discovered in a car imported on the Motor Vessel "Huating" and a further 14.35 kilos were discovered in a car imported on the Motor Vessel "Qui-Shu" at the same dock.
There were a number of factors which led the Customs officer to give special attention to these cars.