More than £400 million of cocaine has been seized at the UK border in under a month, with one haul alone worth £256 million. Officers carried out major operations in February and March at London Gateway port, including the sixth-largest cocaine seizure on record.
The three-tonne haul, heavier than an adult rhino, was discovered disguised as banana boxes in a shipping container. Elite Border Security Command Maritime officers intercepted the shipment from Panama bound for the Netherlands on February 27. Smugglers had tried to replicate the exact shape and weight of banana boxes to conceal the drugs among fruit. High-tech scanners saw through the ruse, with officers discovering almost 2,800 packages of cocaine.
On March 24, cocaine worth an estimated £80 million was seized from a shipping container carrying South American wine. Combined with further seizures in March, around five tonnes were detected at London Gateway port in just under a month, with an estimated street value surpassing £400 million.
Minister for Migration and Citizenship Mike Tapp said: “Thanks to the excellent work of our dedicated Border Force teams, massive quantities of lethal drugs are out of circulation, costing criminal gangs more than four hundred million pounds in estimated profits. Drug seizures are at an all-time high under this government, and we will not let up in our pursuit of those behind this evil trade.”
Director of Maritime and Small Boats Charlie Eastaugh added: “These results speak for themselves: we are coming after drug smugglers. Last month’s huge haul of cocaine – one of the largest seizures on record – is a major setback for organised crime.”
