Cocaine worth £4m found hidden inside vegetables at Gatwick Airport

Cocaine worth over £4m has been found hidden in vegetables or suspended in liquid in freight from flights at Gatwick Airport.

Packages of the class A drug were seized by Border Force after being detected on flights from Kingston, Jamaica, in recent weeks.

Some 22kg of cocaine was seized on 11 August, estimated to be worth 1.8 million.

A further 30kg was seized on 18 August, worth 2.4 million.

Both hauls were hidden within vegetables such as sweet potatoes and yams, the Home Office said.

Another 3kg haul was discovered suspended in liquid on 25 August, with an estimated street value of £250,000.

Tim Kingsberry, regional director for Border Force South, said: “Through the diligence and hard work of Border Force officers, we have prevented millions of pounds of cocaine from reaching Britain’s streets.

“I hope this detection sends a clear message to anyone who thinks they can smuggle dangerous drugs into the UK. We will find and confiscate these items and we will bring you to justice.”

Gatwick National Crime Agency branch commander Mark McCormack said: “Working with our colleagues at Border Force, we are determined to do all we can to stop class A drugs reaching the streets of the UK, where they can cause so much damage.

“These seizures are an example of that in action, and our investigations are ongoing.”