British officials have seized one of the largest cocaine shipments in the country’s history, intercepting 2.4 metric tons of the drug at London’s Gateway port. The haul, with an estimated street value of £96 million ($132 million), highlights both the scale of Europe’s booming cocaine trade and the evolving tactics of international smuggling networks.
The operation, led by the UK Border Force and supported by the Home Office, uncovered the drugs hidden deep within a shipment of freight containers arriving from Panama. Officers spent two days systematically unloading and scanning 37 containers before locating the massive stash.
Charlie Eastaugh, director of Border Force Maritime, described the seizure as a major success in disrupting international criminal operations. “We continue to stay one step ahead of criminal gangs who seek to smuggle drugs into the UK, threatening our communities and fueling violence,” he said.
The 2.4-tonne shipment ranks as the sixth-largest cocaine seizure ever recorded in the UK. For context, the weight is roughly equivalent to a fully grown white rhinoceros. British authorities have reported a surge in cocaine imports in recent years, driven by record global production and increased demand across Europe.
According to official data, cocaine-related deaths in England and Wales rose by 31% between 2022 and 2023, underscoring the growing public health impact.
Investigators believe that criminal groups are using increasingly sophisticated methods to smuggle drugs, including container ships, GPS-tagged floating devices, and at-sea drop-offs. The London port seizure follows similar interceptions elsewhere in Europe and reflects a broader trend of shifting smuggling routes toward high-volume sea cargo.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) recently reported record-high cocaine production, with an estimated 25 million global users in 2023, the highest level in a decade.
The bust comes just days before major summer festivals, including Glastonbury, where law enforcement typically expects heightened drug circulation. Seema Malhotra, UK Minister for Migration and Citizenship, praised the operation and vowed to continue targeting large-scale trafficking rings.
“This should send a strong message to criminals: we are serious about stopping these dangerous substances from reaching our streets,” Malhotra said.
Alongside the cocaine seizure, Border Force teams also recently intercepted firearms, large quantities of ketamine, and thousands of MDMA tablets, signaling a wider pre-emptive crackdown.
Authorities are now focused on tracing the shipment’s origin and identifying the criminal networks involved. British officials are also strengthening partnerships with Latin American countries to target smuggling at the source and prevent future large-scale shipments.
