No charges in drug inquiry

Two directors from a Shropshire company whose business was raided as part of an international drugs trafficking operation will not face any charges, it was revealed today.

Philip Maddocks, 39, of Newport, one of the biggest lettuce producers in Britain and Mark Tweddle, 30, from Staffordshire, are directors of Jupiter Marketing.

The company base, in Nova House, Audley Avenue Enterprise Park, Newport, was raided by officers from the Serious and Organised Crime Agency on August 22 this year.

Both men were arrested as part of the dawn raid and released on bail until today.

A spokeswoman for SOCA said today: "The individuals who were arrested have assisted SOCA with their inquiries.

"Neither of the two arrested have been charged and neither remain on police bail."

Mr Maddocks, of Chadwell Park Farm, Great Chatwell, Newport, also owns PDM Produce (UK), based at his home.

At the time Mr Maddocks said the investigation would eliminate his company from the inquiry but said they were targeted because they were importers of fresh produce from Brazil.

The Shropshire arrests came after SOCA chiefs revealed a haul of class A drugs had been found in Uruguay.

The international operation also involves the importation of illegal drugs from South America, Brazil and the Netherlands.

SOCA inquiries have since established that Jupiter Marketing and its directors were not involved in this operation.

The inquiry into the international drugs trafficking was continuing today but Mr Tweddle and Mr Maddocks were no longer involved.

A spokeswoman for Jupiter Marketing said they were aware the two men were no longer on bail and had been "exonerated" from the inquiry but did not wish to comment further at this stage.

The raid was a joint operation between SOCA and Staffordshire and West Mercia Police.

By Crime Correspondent Kirsty Marston