After a six day search, the UK Border Agency seized more than 1.3 tons, of cocaine worth $492 million from a luxury yacht in southern England in May.
According to the New York Times, the border agency was tracking the $1.6 million yacht after a tip from French customs investigators. The boat was being transported to England on a cargo ship from the Virgin Islands.
The Mirror, a UK newspaper, reports that the boat had been purposefully damaged so that it could be repaired to better hide the drugs it contained.
“It was a professional, ingenious operation done by organized criminals. The boat had been damaged and reconfigured to throw us off the scent, including the creation of hidden chambers,” preventing authorities from finding the drugs for six days, said UK Border Agent Carole Upsall.
The cocaine was more than 90 percent pure, giving it a much higher street value than the average form of the drugs normally found in the UK. The vast quantity of the drug is believed to be able to satisfy more than a third of the UK’ cocaine consumption for an entire year, requiring more than 7 million drug deals.
“Our find will make a significant dent on the supply of drugs in the UK, which is unfortunately the largest cocaine market in Europe,” Upsall said.
Authorities believe the drugs came from Venezuela, a commons supply line of cocaine into Europe, and destined for the Netherlands.
The drug bust led to a two month joint operation between the British Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA) and Dutch police to dismantle the smuggling ring.
The Dutch National Crime Squad arrested six men they believe to be responsible for the shipment of the drugs in raids on homes and businesses Tuesday morning. According to AFP, those arrested were the yacht owner, 60, and his three sons aged 27, 32, and 34 along with two unidentified men. During the raids Dutch Police also found more than $140,000 in cash.
