In an operation supported by the National Crime Agency and Border Force, Met officers seized 350kg of cocaine on board a small boat.
The vessel, a Kingfisher Sports Explorer, was apprehended, and 350kg of cocaine was discovered on board. The drugs are worth an estimated £35 million on the black market.
Scotland Yard detectives were dispatched to Eastbourne, Sussex, on Saturday, 18 February, and intercepted a small boat moored in the harbour at approximately 10.15pm
The operation was carried out after officers received information about the boat’s suspicious movements in the Channel.
Three men were arrested, charged, and remanded in custody on suspicion of conspiring to import Class A drugs.
“We are committed to addressing the impact of Class A drugs on our communities,” said Detective Inspector Lydia Stephens of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command.
“This huge, significant shipment was destined for the streets of London via ‘city lines’ drugs gangs, 80 per cent of whom have a history of violence linked to murder. Targeting them will help protect children who are exploited by them and reduce serious violence in the capital.
“I’d like to express my gratitude to colleagues from the National Crime Agency and Border Force for their assistance in this high-speed operation.”
“The NCA brought a number of specialist capabilities to this investigation, which helped secure the seizure of these Class A drugs,” said Martin French, senior intelligence manager at the National Crime Agency. Because this cocaine is no longer available, it will no longer contribute to the misery and chaos that the Class A drug market causes in our communities.
“The NCA will continue to protect the public by working at home and abroad to combat serious organised crime threats to the UK, in collaboration with partners such as the Metropolitan Police and Border Force.”
