£72m of cocaine found at Southampton port - smuggled inside bananas
and live on Freeview channel 276
At the Port of Southampton last Friday, Border Force officers found almost a tonne of cocaine being smuggled into the country inside bananas from Colombia.
The haul, which was heading to Antwerp in Belgium, is believed to have a street value of around £72m.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe drugs had been concealed in bananas on board a commercial shipping container.
![The cocaine, which weighed a total of 946 kilos, was suspected to have been placed in the cargo in Colombia. Picture: Home Office](https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjQ0MTU5ZTA4LWYwNmItNGNmMS05ZjQ1LTlmNzdlZjRkOTQxYzowZTg2ZTczOC1mNWFkLTQzODUtYWFlMC02ZTA1N2EwOWRkNDY=.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65)
![The cocaine, which weighed a total of 946 kilos, was suspected to have been placed in the cargo in Colombia. Picture: Home Office](/img/placeholder.png)
Border Force regional director, Tim Kingsberry, said: ‘This significant seizure has removed a large amount of dangerous drugs from the streets, which not only reduces the significant harm they cause to communities but also makes a huge dent in the profits of smugglers.’
The officers have been praised by home secretary Priti Patel.
She said: ‘This was drug smuggling on an industrial scale so I’m delighted that Border Force officers have prevented such a large quantity of dangerous goods from reaching our streets.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad![The haul is thought to be worth £76m. Picture: Home Office](https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmVkZGY2OTljLWE5N2EtNDEzYy05YWY4LWU2OTEyNjZjNmVlMzowMDc4YTJkOC0yY2I5LTRmM2QtYjYzMC01NTNhNTBjMDc5OGQ=.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65)
![The haul is thought to be worth £76m. Picture: Home Office](/img/placeholder.png)
‘Drugs devastate communities, line the pockets of serious criminals, and are a serious driver of the violence which ruins young lives right across the country.
‘We are sending a strong signal to criminals in the UK and abroad seeking to smuggle drugs into or through the UK: your efforts will fail and we will use every part of our law enforcement powers to stop drugs from coming into the UK.’