Border Force officers seized more than £160 million worth of cocaine and cannabis at Southampton Port within a month, according to the Home Office.
Seizures in June and July
On June 28, officers found 477 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated street value of £38 million, hidden among pallets of bananas in a shipping container. Later that day, a further 530 kilograms of cocaine worth around £47 million was seized from another container at the port.
On July 10, officers uncovered approximately 960 kilograms of cocaine, estimated to be worth £76 million. Just days later, a 290 kilogram cannabis haul worth £1.2 million was found hidden within a shipment of hardwood flooring.
Record annual figures
In the year ending March 2025, Border Force seized 150 tonnes of illegal drugs with a street value of £2.6 billion, a 40% increase on the previous year and the highest figure since records began.
Official statements
Home Office minister Jo White said: “We are one step ahead of these vile criminal gangs. Border Force has cost them tens of millions in under a month. These drugs fuel further offending, destroy lives and inflict misery on our communities. We will continue our relentless action to hit supply chains, protect the public and secure our borders.”
Lyn Sari, head of Border Force South Region, said: “Every seizure we make is a setback for organised crime. I would like to thank our dedicated officers, who work around the clock to prevent these drugs from reaching our streets and causing immense harms. Border Force is working ever more closely with law enforcement partners in the UK and overseas to combat drug smuggling.”
