UK

Estimated £50m worth of cocaine washes up on English coast

Around 360kg has washed up on two beaches in Norfolk, says UK crime agency

A number of holdalls were found at Hopton-on-Sea, and small packages were discovered at Caister-on-Sea. Photograph: UK National Crime Agency /PA
A number of holdalls were found at Hopton-on-Sea, and small packages were discovered at Caister-on-Sea. Photograph: UK National Crime Agency /PA
Fri Feb 10 2017 - 14:31

Around 360kg (794lb) of cocaine with a potential value of £50 million (€58.6 million) has washed up on two beaches in Norfolk.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said a number of holdalls were found at Hopton-on-Sea on Thursday, and a “small number of packages” were discovered at Caister-on-Sea on Friday.

Both locations are near Great Yarmouth. Matthew Rivers, from the NCA’s border investigation team, said: “We are now working with Border Force, the Coastguard Agency and Norfolk Police to try and establish how the bags ended up where they did; however, it is extremely unlikely that this was their intended destination.

A number of holdalls were found at Hopton-on-Sea, and small packages were discovered at Caister-on-Sea. Photograph: Google maps
A number of holdalls were found at Hopton-on-Sea, and small packages were discovered at Caister-on-Sea. Photograph: Google maps

“This is obviously a substantial seizure of class A drugs, and its loss will represent a major blow to the organised criminals involved.”

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A member of the public had alerted Norfolk Police to the holdalls at Hopton-on-Sea, and the separate find at a location near Caister-on-Sea forms part of the NCA investigation.

SuptDave Buckley, of Norfolk Police, said: “We are assisting the National Crime Agency with their searches and while we believe we have recovered all the packages, should any member of the public find one they are urged to contact Norfolk Police immediately.”

“We will have extra officers in the area to monitor the situation.”

Reuters