In a significant crackdown on
international crime syndicates, UK authorities intercepted a colossal £450 mln
cocaine shipment at Southampton Port, marking the country's largest-ever class
A drug seizure.
The
National Crime Agency (NCA) and Border Force discovered 5.7 tons of cocaine
concealed within a banana shipment from South America on 8 February, surpassing
the previous records of 3.7 tonnes in 2022 and 3.2 tonnes in 2015. NCA director
Chris Farrimond emphasized the operation's impact, stating, "This record-breaking seizure will
represent a huge hit to the international organised crime cartels involved,
denying them massive profits."
The operation not only targets the
immediate haul but also aims at dismantling the criminal networks extending to
the UK, where drug gangs yield approximately £4 bln annually. Farrimond
highlighted the importance of international cooperation in combating these
sophisticated criminal enterprises.