London (United Kingdom), 28 June (LaPresse/AP) – British authorities have seized 2.4 tonnes of cocaine on a ship that arrived in England from Panama in what has been described as one of the largest drug seizures in recent years in the United Kingdom. The drugs, worth £96 million ($132 million), were found under containers on a ship in the port of London Gateway, east of the British capital. The cargo was discovered after what authorities described as an operation conducted by the secret services. The British Home Office said it was the sixth largest cocaine seizure ever recorded. UK Border Force Maritime Director Charlie Eastaugh said the seizure was ‘just one example of how Border Force Maritime officers continue to stay one step ahead of the criminal gangs who threaten our security.’ According to the National Crime Agency, Britain is one of Europe's largest markets for cocaine. The British government says cocaine-related deaths in England and Wales rose by 31% between 2022 and 2023.
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