£100million worth of cocaine sealed within a fruit load seized in Dover

Around a tonne of cocaine, concealed within a load of fruit, has been seized at Dover, as part of a joint National Crime Agency and Police Scotland Organised Crime Partnership investigation.
Around a tonne of cocaine, concealed within a load of fruit, has been seized at Dover, as part of a joint National Crime Agency and Police Scotland Organised Crime Partnership investigation. Credit: National Crime Agency

Around a tonne of cocaine, concealed within a load of fruit, has been seized at Dover, as part of a joint National Crime Agency and Police Scotland Organised Crime Partnership investigation.The discovery was made in the early hours of Tuesday 22 September after specialist Border Force search teams were brought in to assist officers working as part of the Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland).The drugs were discovered in pallets which had arrived into Dover on a vessel from South America.Following the seizure, NCA and Police Scotland officers moved in to arrest two men on suspicion of importing class A drugs, a 40-year-old in Brentwood, Essex, and a 64-year-old in central Glasgow. Both were questioned before being released under investigation.A number of searches have also been carried out at locations in Glasgow and Essex as the investigation continues.The investigation is linked to Operation Venetic, which has so far seen hundreds of arrests across the UK following the infiltration of an encrypted communications platform.

A number of searches have also been carried out at locations in Glasgow and Essex as the investigation continues. Credit: National Crime Agency

NCA Director of Investigations Nikki Holland said: “This is a huge seizure of class A drugs, made as a result of some excellent joint working between the NCA and Police Scotland under the Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland), and our Border Force colleagues."

Angela McLaren, Assistant Chief Constable Organised Crime, Counter Terrorism and intelligence, said: "This seizure is undoubtedly a massive setback for serious and organised criminals. This operation and our other recent successes underline our unwavering commitment to working with partners, including the NCA, Border Force and SOC Taskforce, to disrupt this sort of criminality."

The Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland) is a covert investigation team comprising of officers and staff from Police Scotland and the National Crime Agency.Minister for Immigration Compliance and the Courts Chris Philip said: “This was another excellent seizure which demonstrates the work of Border Force officers who work tirelessly on the frontline to prevent Class A drugs such as cocaine from reaching the streets, where they can devastate lives and our society."