Motorway chase leads to police discovering £70,000 worth of 'stolen' whisky in back of lorry

15 December 2024, 09:34 | Updated: 15 December 2024, 09:55

Stolen whiskey
West Yorkshire police discovered the stash in the back of a 'suspicious' lorry. Picture: West Yorkshire Police

By Flaminia Luck

£70,000 worth of stolen whisky has been discovered by police in the back of a lorry after a motorway chase on the M606 near Bradford.

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Officers were carrying out a drink drive patrol as part of Operation Limit, the national drink and drug drive campaign, when they spotted the "suspicious" lorry.

Its driver failed to stop, triggering a brief chase which resulted in the use of a stinger to bring the vehicle to a stop.

Searching the lorry, suspected to be cloned and with no supporting documents, officers found and recovered the Johnny Cree whisky, believed to be stolen.  

Two males were arrested from the vehicle and have been taken into custody, the force said.

The lorry had earlier failed to stop for officers
The lorry had earlier failed to stop for officers. Picture: West Yorkshire Police
Officers deployed a stinger to bring the 'suspicious' lorry to a stop
Officers deployed a stinger to bring the 'suspicious' lorry to a stop. Picture: West Yorkshire Police

The force said the drink drive patrol officers "weren't expecting the alcohol-related offence".

The northbound M606 was briefly closed as a safety procedure while officers dealt with the incident, but has since reopened.

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