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The British Crime Agency (NCA) and the Border Force have discovered the largest amount of so-called Class A drugs in the United Kingdom.
The shipment of 5.7 tonnes of cocaine was discovered in a container at the Port of Southampton on February 8. Border Force officers were called in to carry out the detection by the NCA, which identified the consignment through the European Task Force.
The drugs were found hidden in pallets of bananas that had been transported from South America. The NCA believes the goods were being routed to the Port of Hamburg in Germany.
Investigations are continuing with international partners in Europe to identify the criminal network involved. Based on street prices in Britain, the cocaine would have a street value of £450 million.
The largest amount previously seized was 3.7 tonnes of cocaine seized in 2022 in the Port of Southampton. The domestic cocaine market is dominated by foreigners, who the NCA believes are making around £4bn a year in the UK alone.
Cocaine trafficking is closely linked to serious violence in the chain market, including firearms and cold-arms crimes. This market has seen an exponential increase in violence in recent years. NCA Director Chris Farrimond said: “This record amount seized represents a major blow to international organized crime including the cartels, denying them huge profits. The work of the NCA was crucial for this to happen.
While the destination for the amount arriving was continental Europe in this case, I have no doubt that a significant proportion would also end up here in the UK.
UK's Legal Migration and Borders Minister Tom Pursglove said: "This Government has zero tolerance for the illegal drug network and I am grateful to Border Force officers for their hard work and dedication to protecting our borders and keeping people safe. the public".
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