Cocaine with a street value of almost £100m has been seized by Border Force officers in "one of the largest drugs busts of the past decade". The shipment was intercepted earlier this month on a container vessel arriving at London Gateway port from Panama. Border Force officials and staff at the port in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, had to move 37 large containers to locate the 2.4-tonne haul. Worth an estimated £96m, it was the sixth largest cocaine seizure since records began, the Home Office said. Specialist maritime officers intercepted the drugs after an "intelligence-led operation". Border Force said in a statement: "The interception strikes a significant financial and operational blow against the organised crime groups behind its importation and is an example of an intelligence driven outcome to disrupt criminal supply chains." Charlie Eastaugh, the organisation's maritime director, said: "This seizure - one of the largest of its kind - is just one example of how dedicated Border Force maritime officers remain one step ahead of the criminal gangs who threaten our security. "Our message to these criminals is clear. More than ever before, we are using intelligence and international law enforcement co-operation to disrupt and dismantle your operations." He added there were also training programmes across Latin America to help prevent the drugs entering British shores. Government minister Seema Malhotra, said: "Drugs gangs trying to import illegal substances into the UK are a blight on society and we will leave no stone left unturned in our pursuit of organised crime gangs inflicting addiction, misery and death upon Britain's communities." Follow Essex news onBBC Sounds,Facebook,InstagramandX.
£96m of cocaine seized from vessel at UK port
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"Major Cocaine Seizure Valued at £96 Million at UK Port"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
Border Force officers have successfully intercepted a significant shipment of cocaine valued at nearly £100 million, marking one of the largest drug busts in the UK over the past decade. The operation took place earlier this month at the London Gateway port, where a container vessel arriving from Panama was targeted based on intelligence-led operations. To uncover the 2.4-tonne haul, officials had to sift through 37 large containers, demonstrating the scale and complexity of the operation. This seizure is noted as the sixth largest cocaine confiscation since records began, underscoring the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement in combating drug trafficking. The Home Office emphasized that this interception represents a substantial financial and operational setback for the organized crime groups involved in the drug's importation, highlighting the effectiveness of intelligence-driven strategies in disrupting criminal supply chains.
Charlie Eastaugh, the maritime director of Border Force, remarked on the significance of the seizure, affirming that the agency's dedicated maritime officers are effectively outpacing the criminal organizations that threaten public safety. He reiterated the commitment of Border Force to leverage intelligence and international law enforcement collaboration to dismantle these operations. Additionally, government minister Seema Malhotra condemned drug gangs for their detrimental impact on society, vowing that the government will leave no stone unturned in the fight against organized crime that leads to addiction and suffering within communities across Britain. This incident not only illustrates the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to tackle drug trafficking but also highlights the need for international cooperation and training programs aimed at preventing such illegal activities from reaching British shores.
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