Five Arrested in £1 Million Cocaine Bust Across UK and Northern Ireland
The National Crime Agency (NCA), backed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), have swooped on a major crime gang trying to smuggle £1 million worth of cocaine into the UK.
Three Arrested in Essex, Two in North Wales
On Thursday 10 September, officers arrested five men—three in Essex and two in North Wales. At the same time, three lorries were seized during the operation.
The suspects, aged between 21 and 59, are believed to be involved in importing Class A drugs from mainland Europe. Four of the men are Northern Ireland residents, the other hails from northern England.
Border Force Finds 21 Kilos of Cocaine Hidden in Lorry
Specialist Border Force teams searched the HGVs and uncovered a sophisticated hiding spot containing around 21 kilos of cocaine in one vehicle.
Parallel raids were carried out at several homes in Northern Ireland by NCA and PSNI officers, with additional support from An Garda Síochána and the Organised Crime Task Force.
Suspects Released on Bail as Investigation Rolls On
All five men have been questioned by NCA officers and released on bail pending further inquiries.
Gerry McLean, NCA Regional Head of Investigations: “This is a highly significant operation targeting organised crime impacting Northern Ireland. We’ve stopped a large quantity of drugs hitting the streets and blocked a key smuggling route. Thanks to our PSNI, Garda, and Border Force partners — our work goes on.”
Detective Superintendent Rachel Shields, PSNI Criminal Investigation Branch: “Our detectives have worked closely with the NCA on this operation. These arrests and seizures hit organised crime hard. We’ll keep supporting efforts to disrupt these criminal networks.”
