Seven men arrested after drugs worth up to £4 million seized after failed container importation

Over 400kg of cannabis was seized as part of an investigation by the NCA. Credit: National Crime Agency

Seven men have been arrested after over 400kg of cannabis was seized as part of an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

On Sunday, May 27, Border Force officers working with the NCA detected the drugs haul with a street value worth up to £4 million, concealed within a shipping container on the vessel Wec Vermeer at the Port of Liverpool.

The ship arrived from Spain.

The container remained under surveillance by NCA officers when it was collected and placed on a HGV on Wednesday May 30.

The vehicle travelled to Moss Side Farm in Tarleton in Lancashire, where officers arrested the driver and the two men unloading the container.

NCA officers also arrested three men in the Kirkham area and the final suspect in the Trafford Park area.

All seven were all arrested on suspicion of conspiring to import class B drugs.

Greg McKenna, Head of NCA Investigations for the north said:

The group were released under investigation on Thursday 31 May.