Crime

UK Authorities Seize Cocaine Haul Big Enough to Supply Entire Population Twice Over

Published

10 months ago

February 23, 2024

M10news – A massive cocaine haul, large enough to supply every person in Britain twice over, has been intercepted at Southampton Port. Among crates of bananas from South America, authorities discovered an astonishing 114 million lines of the Class A drug, totalling 5.7 tonnes, making it the largest seizure in the country’s history and dealing a significant blow to crime cartels.

The National Crime Agency and Border Force have made what is believed to be the biggest ever seizure of class A drugs in the UK. The haul of 5.7 tonnes of cocaine was found in a container at Southampton Port on 8 February. Details can only now be released. Specialist Border Force officers were called in to carry out the search by the NCA, who identified the shipment through it?s Near Europe Task Force. The blocks of drugs were found hidden within a cargo of bananas which had been transported from South America. NCA officers believe the haul was heading to the Port of Hamburg in Germany for onward delivery. Enquiries are ongoing with international partners across Europe with a view to identifying the criminal networks involved. Based on UK street-level prices the cocaine would likely have had an estimated value in excess of ?450 million. The previous largest UK seizures saw 3.7 tonnes of cocaine also found at Southampton in 2022, and 3.2 tonnes found on-board the tug boat MV Hamal in Scotland in 2015. The domestic cocaine market is dominated by criminal gangs who the NCA believe to be making around ?4 billion a year in the UK alone. Cocaine trafficking is closely linked to serious violence throughout the supply chain, including firearms and knife crime in the UK. The cocaine trade has seen an exponential rise in associated violence in the past few years. NCA Director Chris Farrimond said: ?This record-breaking seizure will represent a huge hit to the international organised crime cartels involved, denying them massive profits. The work of the NCA was crucial to making it happen. ?While the destination for the consignment was continental Europe in this case, I have no doubt that a significant proportion would have ended up back here in the UK, being peddled by UK criminal gangs. ?The NCA is targeting international networks upstream and overseas, disrupting and dismantling them at every step. International law enforcement co-operation is essential to this mission. ?Working closely with UK partners like Border Force, we are determined to do all we can to protect the UK public.? Minister for Legal Migration and the Border, Tom Pursglove MP, said: ?This government takes a zero-tolerance approach to the supply of illegal drugs, and I am grateful to dedicated Border Force officers and the NCA for their work to apprehend this record-breaking seizure. ?This seizure sends a clear message to criminals that they will be caught. Our Border Force officers continue to work relentlessly to protect our borders and ensure the safety and security of the public.? The NCA?s Near Europe Task Force is a team funded through the Home Office Drug Strategy to focus on the international supply of drugs, identifying and disrupting offenders, and making it more difficult for organised criminal groups to transport drugs to the UK.

The haul of 5.7 tonnes of cocaine was found in a container at Southampton Port (Picture: NCA)

The bust, executed by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Border Force on February 8, thwarted the cargo’s intended journey to the Port of Hamburg in Germany for onward distribution. A spokesperson for the NCA stated that investigations with international partners across Europe are ongoing to identify the criminal networks behind this operation.

Based on UK street-level prices, the seized cocaine is estimated to be worth over £450 million. This seizure mirrors a similar incident in 2015 when 3.2 tonnes of cocaine were found aboard the tug boat MV Hamal in Scotland. The value of the MV Hamal haul was estimated at £512 million, attributed to differences in cocaine prices in Scotland at that time.

The drugs were heading to Hamburg in Germany (Picture: NCA/UNPIXS)

Chris Farrimond, Director of the NCA, emphasized the significance of this record-breaking seizure in disrupting international organized crime cartels and depriving them of massive profits. He highlighted the crucial role of the NCA’s efforts, alongside partners like Border Force, in targeting international drug networks and preventing their activities from reaching the UK.

Farrimond stressed the importance of international law enforcement cooperation in tackling such criminal operations, affirming the commitment of UK authorities to protect the public from the harmful effects of drug trafficking.