15 packages containing more than £1 million of cocaine have been seized by Border Force officials after being discovered in a shipment of protective face masks.
A 34-year-old Polish national, who was driving the van the 14kg find was discovered in, has been arrested and is being questioned.
They found 15 packages of the Class-A drug hidden among the face masks before the 34-year-old driver from Poland was arrested and taken into custody for questioning. Now regulators are inspecting the masks to see if they are still safe to use. Border Force Regional Director for Coquelles Ian Hanson said: ‘This seizure shows the lengths drug smugglers will go to. It is despicable to think they would try and exploit the current situation in this way to get their dangerous drugs on to the UK’s streets.
‘It is testament to the expertise of my Border Force officers that this smuggling attempt was prevented and shows we remain active on the frontline in keeping the country safe from illegal drugs and the harm they cause. ‘Every year Border Force officers seize Class A drugs worth hundreds of millions of pounds. Working with law enforcement colleagues like the National Crime Agency (NCA) we are determined to prevent drug trafficking.’
