Officers seize £30k in wine bar raid

Police seized £30,000 cash in a shock lunchtime raid on a wine bar in the Black Country.

Startled customers were ushered out of Monty's Café and Wine Bar in High Street, Sedgley, at 2pm yesterday.

More than 30 police officers stormed in following tip-offs about drug use at the venue.

Customers were escorted out in small groups and searched while eight officers guarded the front entrance. Several police vans set up camp on the car park at the rear of the building.

West Midlands Police today said there had been no arrests and no drugs found but police had seized £30,000 cash under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Sector Inspector for Dudley North, Richard Jones said: "This policing operation was a direct response to intelligence and concerns raised by local people about drug activity at this licensed premise in Sedgley. We will continue to act upon similar concerns regarding other local properties in the area as part of our fight against drugs."

Builder Paul Reynolds, aged 35, was having a cigarette outside the Clifton pub next door when police arrived.

Mr Reynolds, of Dudley Road, Sedgley, said: "It was quite shocking to see all this going on, it happened out of nowhere.

Officers searched the bar for more than five hours. Monty's remained closed today.