£3.7M of Gold Seized at Heathrow Linked to Drug Cartels
Massive Gold Haul Nabbed at Heathrow
The National Crime Agency’s (NCA) financial investigators swooped after a staggering 104 kilos of gold was seized at Heathrow Airport in June 2019. The shiny shipment was hidden in the cargo hold of a plane that had touched down from the Cayman Islands.
Secret Trail from Venezuela to Switzerland Exposed
The gold’s journey was a crafty one. It flew from Venezuela to the Caymans on a private jet before being shipped on to Switzerland via Heathrow. But the NCA uncovered a false paperwork trail designed to mask the gold’s true origin: Venezuela.
Criminal Networks Unravelled
The NCA worked hand-in-hand with Cayman Islands authorities and discovered the gang behind this gold haul had deep links to organised crime and drug cartels in South America.
“Criminals are attracted to gold as a way of moving drugs money due to the high value contained in relatively small amounts,” said Andy Noyes, NCA Branch Commander. “Our investigation showed this shipment was linked to drug cartels operating out of South America, but we were able to stop it reaching its final destination thanks to established links with overseas partners.”
Court Orders Majority of Gold Forfeited
Following legal wrangling and a High Court application, the NCA secured a civil recovery order for 80% of the gold under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The remaining 20% will be returned to companies with legitimate financial interests.
Andy Noyes added: “This intervention has disrupted the criminal network, stopping them from reinvesting in further criminality that causes harm to our communities.”
