Elizabeth Balaam : “67-Year-Old Woman Sells Heroin from Home”

Thetford Woman Found with Heroin Faces Sentencing

Elizabeth Balaam, aged 67, was recently discovered with three bags of heroin during a police operation at her residence on Old Bury Road in Thetford. The incident, which took place in September 2022, unfolded as officers entered her property following a surveillance operation that tracked individuals visiting and leaving the premises in quick succession.

Norwich Crown Court was informed about the findings, detailing how a woman who had exited the property was later found in possession of white powder identified as diamorphine, commonly known as street heroin.

Police had a property at Old Bury Road in Thetford under surveillance (Image: Google)

During the court proceedings, prosecutor Ian James described Balaam as a “busy heroin supplier with expectations of a significant financial reward.” When the police raided her property, they caught her in the act of measuring drugs on scales.

The search uncovered two containers of brown powder on a coffee table, along with a pre-packed bag containing approximately 20 grams of heroin, valued at over £1,000 on the street. Additionally, authorities seized £180 in cash and a mobile phone containing incriminating messages related to drug transactions.

Balaam was found weighing quantities of street heroin on scales in her living room (Image: Newsquest)

Despite initially denying the charges, Balaam eventually pleaded guilty to possessing class A drugs with the intent to supply, just a month before her scheduled trial. Her legal team and the prosecution are currently in dispute over the basis of her plea, leading to a postponed sentencing to determine her level of culpability.

Defence lawyer John Morgans explained that Balaam had been purchasing drugs in bulk to support her addiction and was selling them to cover the costs. He emphasized that any profits made were immediately reinvested into sustaining her habit.