THE jury has retired to consider its verdict in the case of a pharmacist from Huddersfield accused of storing millions of stolen tablets.

Hafiz Noorullah, 43, of Pateley Crescent, Fartown, allegedly allowed his Meltham warehouse to be turned into a secret storeroom for the £1.7m consignment while a buyer was found.

He has been on trial this week at London’s Southwark Crown Court.

The judge finished his summing up yesterday and sent the jury out to consider its verdict.

No verdict was reached by the end of the day and the jury was sent home.

They will return on Monday to carry on their deliberations.

During the trial the prosecution alleged the consignment of tablets had been en route from the Swiss headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Novartis to a distribution depot in Thatcham, Berkshire, when it was stolen in 2005.

It resurfaced two years later when private detective Andy Hunter spotted its contents for sale on the internet.

He tracked them down to Meltham and alerted police.

Noorullah denies the charges and said he thought the medicines were from a legitimate source.