UK anti-drug agents intercepted plane carrying nearly half a tonne of the Class A drugs into the country
500kg of cocaine worth $70.6 [£50m] was stopped at Farnborough Airport in Hampshire from Colombia in one of UK’s biggest-ever hauls
The cocaine, worth about $71million, was packed in 15 designer suitcases
Five male passengers were arrested on suspicion of supplying Schedule I drugs – flown directly from the Colombian capital, Bogota
The plane, it’s cargo was impounded and passengers arrested on touched down at Farnborough airport on Monday morning
The crew of the plane were questioned and were released without charge – the passengers arrested include two British citizens, two Spaniards and an Italian
Nearly half a tonne of the Class cocaine was shipped into the UK from Colombia, aboard a private jet was intercepted by British anti-drug enforcement agents on Monday
Anti-drug cops have seized nearly half a tonne of Colombian cocaine flown into Britain by private jet.
The $71million bust at Hampshire’s Farnborough Airport is thought to be the largest seizure in the history of the British border force.
Photographs released by the British Home office show 500kg of the Schedule I drug neatly packed in 15 designer suitcases, that was seized by specially-trained narcotics agents when a private jet touched down at Farnborough Airport on Monday.
The cache of drugs, valued at $70.6million [£50m], was packed in 15 designer suitcases Hampshire via private jet
Five male passengers arrested after Farnborough Airport drug raid found more the $70.6million worth of cocaine. The agents found nearly 500kg of the drug neatly packed in 15 designer suitcases after boarding the plane.
The private jet arrived from Bogota, the Colombian capital on Monday morning carrying the drugs and five men, who were arrested on the spot on suspicion of importing Schedule I drugs.
The crew of the plane were questioned and were released without charge.
The passengers included two British citizens, two Spaniards and an Italian.
The plane touched down at Farnborough on Monday morning, and was immediately intercepted by anti-drug cops
Border Force deputy chief operating officer Mike Stepney said: “Working with law enforcement colleagues like the National Crime Agency we are determined to prevent drug trafficking and bring those responsible to justice.
“This was a significant find made possible by the vigilance of dedicated Border Force officers.
“They have prevented a substantial quantity of drugs from ending up on our streets and causing untold misery and damage to our communities.
“After meeting the flight and questioning those on board, officers became suspicious and searched the aircraft and their luggage.
The drugs were flown directly from Colombian capital Bogota to Farnborough Airport in Hampshire, UK
“When opened, each case was found to contain between 34 to 37 tape wrapped packages weighing approximately one kilo each.
“One of these was pierced and a white powder exposed which tested positive for cocaine.”
NCA operations manager Siobhan Micklethwaite added: “This is a major seizure of cocaine, one of the largest flown into the UK by plane in many years, and this seizure by Border Force represents a major blow to organised crime.
“We estimate that once cut and sold on the streets in the UK it would have had a potential value in excess of £50 million. Our investigations into this attempted importation are continuing.”
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