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Almost A Tonne Of Cocaine Worth £76 Million Seized In UK

Almost A Tonne Of Cocaine Worth £76 Million Seized In UK

The drugs were found hidden among bananas last Friday (15 January)

Jake Massey

Jake Massey

Almost a tonne of cocaine has been found hidden among bananas at the Port of Southampton.

The 946kg haul of the Class A drug is estimated to be worth around £76 million.

There was almost a tonne of coke hidden among the bananas.
Border Force

It was found hidden among bananas on a commercial vessel docked at the port last Friday (15 January).

The cocaine packets are thought to have been placed inside the banana boxes in Colombia, with the shipment bound for Antwerp, Belgium.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: "This was drug smuggling on an industrial scale so I'm delighted that Border Force officers have prevented such a large quantity of dangerous goods from reaching our streets.

"Drugs devastate communities, line the pockets of serious criminals, and are a serious driver of the violence which ruin young lives right across the country.

"We are sending a strong signal to criminals in the UK and abroad seeking to smuggle drugs into or through the UK: your efforts will fail and we will use every part of our law enforcement powers to stop drugs from coming into the UK."

Priti Patel said the bust sent a 'strong signal'.
Border Force

The cocaine was discovered after officers noticed a number of anomalies within the cargo during a routine inspection.

Tim Kingsberry, a regional director for Border Force, said: "This significant seizure has removed a large amount of dangerous drugs from the streets, which not only reduces the significant harm they cause to communities but also makes a huge dent in the profits of smugglers."

Police have not yet said if any arrests have been made in connection with the bust.


Last month, a workman stumbled upon a stash of cocaine worth £15,000 ($20,000) while installing an electricity meter.

The worker was fitting the meter at a property in South Shields, UK, on Thursday 3 December when he discovered plastic bags of white powder.

He called the police and officers subsequently discovered other drug paraphernalia, such as a set of scales, with much of the drug portioned into smaller quantities.

An investigation was launched and a 39-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled drug with the intent to supply.

Police praised the workman for his course of action upon discovering the drugs.

Inspector Phil Baker said: "This was an excellent discovery by a member of the public who was carrying out a job at an address when he stumbled across a significant amount of drugs.

"He absolutely did the right thing by picking up the phone and I would like to thank him personally for his intervention. His decision has helped keep these drugs out of the hands of some of the most vulnerable people in our community."

Featured Image Credit: Border Force

Topics: UK News, crime, Drugs

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