UK’s Biggest Ever Cocaine Haul Seized at Port
The National Crime Agency (NCA) and Border Force have pulled off the UK’s largest ever cocaine bust. A staggering 5.7 tonnes of Class A cocaine was uncovered in a container of bananas at 1 Port on February 8.
Banana Cargo Hides £450 Million Cocaine Bonanza
Specialist Border Force officers, alerted by the NCA’s Near Europe Task Force, found the drugs packed tightly inside the shipment from South America. The haul is worth over £450 million on UK streets—smashing previous UK records.
- Previous record seizures included 3.7 tonnes in southampton/" title="Southampton" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Southampton (2022) and 3.2 tonnes on the MV Hamal tug boat in Scotland (2015).
- Experts believe the load was headed for the Port of Hamburg, Germany, for wider European distribution.
Crackdown on Crime Cartels Behind Drugs
NCA officers are working with international partners to track down the criminal gangs behind this operation. The UK’s cocaine market, dominated by violent gangs, is worth around £4 billion annually and is linked to spikes in knife and gun crime nationwide.
NCA Director Chris Farrimond: “This record-breaking seizure hits the international organised crime cartels hard, cutting off massive profits. The NCA’s role was absolutely crucial.”
Government Vows Tough Action on Drug Supply
Tom Pursglove MP, Minister for Legal Migration and the Border, praised Border Force and the NCA’s tireless work. He reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance policy on illegal drugs and highlighted the importance of the Near Europe Task Force in disrupting these criminal networks.
The Home Office-funded task force targets the international drug trade, aiming to break the supply chains funneling dangerous drugs into the UK.
