Key facts
- Border Force officers seized over £160 million worth of cocaine and cannabis at Southampton Port in less than a month.
- Seizures included 477 kg of cocaine (£38 million) on June 28, followed by 530 kg (£47 million) of cocaine from another container the same day.
- A further 960 kg of cocaine (£76 million) was seized on July 10.
- A 290 kg cannabis haul worth £1.2 million was also discovered.
- In the year ending March 2025, 150 tonnes of illegal drugs valued at £2.6 billion were seized, a 40% increase.
Border Force officers have seized more than £160 million worth of cocaine and cannabis at Southampton Port within a single month. The significant busts highlight the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking into the UK.
On June 28, officers discovered 477 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated street value of £38 million, concealed within a shipping container filled with bananas. Later the same day, another shipping container at the port yielded an additional 530 kilograms of cocaine, valued at approximately £47 million.
Further seizures occurred on July 10, when approximately 960 kilograms of cocaine, worth an estimated £76 million, were uncovered. Shortly thereafter, a 290-kilogram haul of cannabis, valued at £1.2 million, was found hidden within a shipment of hardwood flooring.
These seizures contribute to a larger trend, with Border Force confiscating 150 tonnes of illegal drugs valued at £2.6 billion in the year ending March 2025. This represents a 40% increase from the previous year and marks the highest figure recorded since data collection began.
Home Office minister Jo White stated that the government is actively working to stay ahead of criminal organizations, emphasizing that these seizures cost criminal gangs tens of millions. She added that the drugs fuel further crime, destroy lives, and inflict misery, vowing continued action to disrupt supply chains and secure borders.