British authorities have recovered more than $130 million worth of cocaine from a ship that arrived in England from Panama, marking one of the largest drug seizures in the United Kingdom in recent years, officials announced Saturday.
The 2.4 metric tons of cocaine—valued at approximately 96 million pounds ($132 million)—was discovered concealed beneath containers on a vessel docked at London Gateway port, east of London. Authorities said the shipment was uncovered during an intelligence-led operation involving multiple agencies.
The Home Office, Britain’s interior ministry, said the bust ranks as the sixth-largest cocaine seizure ever recorded in the country.
“This seizure is just one example of how dedicated Border Force maritime officers remain one step ahead of the criminal gangs who threaten our security,” Charlie Eastaugh, director of U.K. Border Force Maritime, said in a statement. “Our message to these criminals is clear—more than ever before, we are using intelligence and international law enforcement cooperation to disrupt and dismantle your operations.”
The National Crime Agency describes the U.K. as one of Europe’s largest markets for cocaine. According to government data, cocaine-related deaths in England and Wales surged by 31% between 2022 and 2023.
The record seizure comes amid a string of major interdictions worldwide. Just last week, Mexican naval forces intercepted a semisubmersible “narco sub” carrying 3.5 tons of cocaine off the Pacific coast, releasing video footage of the dramatic operation.
In April, the U.S. Coast Guard announced the seizure of roughly 10,000 pounds of cocaine—worth an estimated $74 million—from a fishing vessel operating in the Atlantic Ocean.
