Close to four tonnes of cocaine was found sealed in boxes of bananas in Southhampton – resulting in the UK’s largest seizure of cocaine in seven years.
Arriving from Columbia, the container was inspected by the National Crime Agency which found 3.7 tonnes of cocaine hydrochloride hidden under twenty pallets of bananas.
Discovered back in March, the haul had an estimated street value of £300 million.
On the haul, Priti Patel, the UK’s home secretary said, “This is the largest seizure of cocaine in the UK since 2015. It should serve as a warning to anyone trying to smuggle illegal drugs into the country that we are out to get them.
“A key focus of our beating crime plan is disrupting the supply chain and relentless pursuit of the criminals peddling these narcotics, making the drugs market a low-reward high-risk enterprise.
“The police and Border Force have my 100% backing to use all available powers to stop devastating drugs from coming into our neighbourhoods and destroying lives.”
Peter Stevens, regional head of investigations at the National Crime Agency said, “The organised crime group behind this importation has been denied massive profits which it would have ploughed back into more offending.
“There’s no doubt some of this cocaine would have been cut up and sold across UK streets, feeding crime and misery in our communities.
“The NCA will continue to work with partners at home, such as Border Force, and abroad to tackle the trafficking and supply of Class A drugs.”