UK's biggest cocaine seizure leads to 6 arrests in the Netherlands

[News_Editor]

UK's biggest cocaine seizure leads to 6 arrests in the Netherlands

2011-08-04 12:17:13 GMT+7 (ICT)

LONDON (BNO NEWS) – A record haul of cocaine seized by the UK Border Agency, in collaboration with the UK's Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA) and the Dutch National Crime Squad, has led to the arrest of six members of an international drugs gang.

The investigation began in June when investigators found 1.2 tonnes (2645 pounds) of 90 percent pure cocaine with a street value of up to £300 million ($490 million) hidden inside a £1million ($1.6 million) pleasure cruiser at Southampton docks.

Since then the UK Border Agency helped Dutch police to track the members of the criminal gang responsible for the cocaine shipment.

During early Tuesday morning raids, the Dutch National Crime Squad finally arrested six men while recovering €100,000 ($143,000), two Harley Davidson motorcycles, two firearms, a silencer and a quantity of ecstasy, according to statements from the UK Border Agency and the Dutch prosecutor's office.

Officers from the UK Border Agency's crime team originally targeted the luxury yacht 'Louise' as it was transported to Southampton from the British Virgin Islands in a cargo ship.

After a 6-day thorough search, the drugs were eventually found hidden deep beneath the bathing platform of the boat, having been packed inside it while in Venezuela, where the cocaine was from.

"About 40 percent of all cocaine brought into Europe is trafficked using smuggling routes from the Caribbean. Venezuela is often used as a supply line of cocaine for the European market," said Gert Rip, the public prosecutor for the National Prosecutor's Office in the Netherlands."

The seizure was part of operation 'Parsons' which is carried out by the Dutch National Crime Squad, acting on intelligence provided by SOCA's international network and in close cooperation with the French Customs Investigation Service (DNRED), the British Virgin Islands Police and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre - Narcotics (MAOC-N) in Lisbon.

"This is a hugely significant seizure for Europe. More widely, this operation clearly demonstrates the power of international law enforcement collaboration against narcotics, which MAOC-N is so instrumental in driving forward," said Deputy Director for SOCA International David Armond.

According to Rip, criminal enterprises are not only responsible for cocaine's damage to health, but are also involved in money laundering practices. "Our efforts have helped bring an international crime gang to book and the message is clear; we will investigate and prosecute anyone who tries to smuggle banned substances through the UK border," said UK Immigration Minister Damian Green.

All parts agreed that the success of the operation was largely due to international cooperation between the various law enforcement agencies of all nations involved. "Tackling these trans-national crimes can be done in no other way than on an international level," Rip stressed.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-08-04

[Steely Dan]

1.2 tonnes is not to be sniffed at!

[Thaddeus]

Take note.

That is what a real drugs bust looks like.

[kerryk]

Take note.

That is what a real drugs bust looks like.

It was done by the UK's Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA). Perhaps another country might re name their police to the "Not So Serious Organized Crime Agency" (NSSOCA).

[mccw]

Total waste of scarce resources. The government can't afford decent schools for future productivity of the nation but can piss money away on futile attempts at drug suppression and foreign military campaigns and corrupt aid programs that doesn't help the British tax payer in the slightest. Should legalise all drugs and tax them; the revenues would easily pay for treatment programs for those that fall off the wagon, coupled with all the savings from the courts, police and prison it would go along way to help sort out the deficit and getting our house in order. Most experts and even chiefs of police agree. Just the idiot tabloid media stifle any sensible change.