Two men have been arrested as part of a National Crime Agency investigation into the smuggling of around 30 kilos of cocaine into an airfield in Essex.
The pair, a 52-year-old from Cheshunt and a 48-year-old from Lewisham, were detained on the evening of Thursday 20 March, after Border Force officers met a plane arriving into North Weald airfield near Epping.
It had flown in from northern France.
Following a search, packages of cocaine were found underneath a seat on the aircraft, and an investigation was launched by the NCA.
The men are now in custody and will be questioned by NCA investigators.
NCA branch operations manager Paul Orchard said: “This was a significant quantity of cocaine with a likely street value in excess of £2 million. In making this seizure we have denied the profits of that to those involved, and prevented them from being used for further criminality.
“Working with colleagues at Border Force we are determined to do all we can to protect the public and disrupt the criminal networks involved in bringing narcotics into the UK.
“To do that we need the public’s support, and I’d ask anyone who lives or works near a small airfield to report any suspicious activity to the police.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Border Force seized and prevented 30kg of cocaine from causing harm on our streets, and are fully committed to disrupt the criminal networks behind this trade.
“We continue to work closely with law enforcement partners, including the NCA, to keep our borders secure.”
21 March 2025
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