British authorities announced on Friday that they had intercepted 5.7 tonnes of cocaine at a port in southern England, marking what is believed to be the largest ever confiscation of Class A drugs in the UK.
The stash, valued at approximately £450 million ($570 million) based on UK street prices, was uncovered on February 8th at Southampton Port.
It was concealed within a shipment of bananas originating from South America.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) revealed that they suspect the consignment was destined for the Port of Hamburg in Germany.
They are collaborating with law enforcement agencies across Europe to uncover the criminal networks involved.
NCA Director Chris Farrimond commented on the groundbreaking seizure, stating, “This record-breaking seizure will represent a huge hit to the international organised crime cartels involved, denying them massive profits.”
According to the NCA, criminal syndicates are estimated to generate around £4 billion annually from the cocaine market in the UK alone.
This illicit trade is closely associated with serious violence throughout its distribution network, including incidents involving firearms and knife crime.
The previous largest cocaine seizure in the UK occurred in 2022, also at Southampton, involving 3.7 tonnes of the drug.