Cocaine bust after 500kg class A haul worth £40m leads cops to make four arrests in major investigation
5 May 2024, 21:01
Four men have been arrested after an NCA drugs bust worth £40million.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The National Crime Agency detained the quartet on suspicion of importing the mega haul at 8.30am on Saturday in Humberside.
The operation was headed by the UK's major crime agency with help from Border Force, Humberside Police and the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit.
Read More: Drugs 1000 times stronger than heroin could ruin this summer's music festivals, charities warn
Read More: Billionaire heiress, 16, disappears in San Francisco neighbourhood known for drugs and crime
500 kilograms of cocaine were found in the back of a Vauxhall Vivaro van in a pub car park as part of the snare.
The NCA said they believe that the drugs had been smuggled into the UK by a larger vessel sailing off the coast of Hull hours before the arrests.
The men remain in custody and are being grilled by NCA investigators.
The group includes a 22-year-old from Argyll, a 32-year-old from Oban, a 24-year-old from Campbeltown and a 39-year-old from Colombia.
NCA Senior Investigating Officer Alan French said: “This was a significant amount of cocaine and its seizure will be a sizeable blow to the organised crime group which attempted to smuggle it into the UK.
“There’s no doubt these drugs would have been sold into communities around the UK, fuelling further crime and exploitation.
“Working with our law enforcement partners we are determined to do all we can to disrupt criminal activity, and protect the UK’s border security.
“Our investigation continues following these arrests.”
