Border officials in the UK have successfully seized over £400 million worth of cocaine within a month. The operations conducted at London Gateway port in February and March resulted in the sixth-largest cocaine confiscation on record. A massive three-tonne haul, disguised as banana boxes in a shipping container and valued at around £256 million, was uncovered. The interception by Elite Border Security Command Maritime officers on February 27, 2026, saw almost 2,800 packages of cocaine discovered. The smugglers had attempted to conceal the drugs within fruit in a container bound from Panama to the Netherlands, but high-tech scanners exposed the scheme.
In another incident on March 24, approximately £80 million worth of cocaine was seized from a container carrying South American wine. The combined seizures in March totaled about five tonnes at London Gateway port, surpassing a street value of £400 million. Minister for Migration and Citizenship Mike Tapp commended the efforts of Border Force teams in removing large quantities of drugs from circulation, dealing a significant blow to criminal organizations.
Director of Maritime and Small Boats Charlie Eastaugh emphasized the commitment to combat drug smuggling, noting the recent record-breaking cocaine seizure as a major setback for organized crime. Collaborating with law enforcement and intelligence partners both domestically and internationally, efforts will continue to dismantle criminal networks and ensure public safety.
