A 43-year-old man from Ryde has been charged in connection with seizure of cocaine worth £10 million.
The man from Ashey Road, Ryde was arrested by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers in March 2020, but re-arrested on Saturday.
Charged and remanded in custody
He was charged at the Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court on Monday with importing class A drugs.
He was remanded in custody until his next appearance at Lewes Crown Court on 27th July.
NCA operation
The cocaine was seized in November 2019 in Newhaven, East Sussex when Border Force officers recovered 97 packages each containing approximately a kilo of cocaine from the back of a van carrying frozen fish.
The driver, a 50-year-old from Cookham in Maidenhead, was later charged with importing class A drugs. He now awaits trial.
NCA: This type of crime is a priority for us
NCA branch commander Peter Stevens said:
“Working with partners like Border Force we are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks involved in attempts to circumvent border controls.
“Illegal drugs are linked to violence on our streets and the exploitation of the vulnerable, that is why this type of crime is a priority for us.”
Kingsberry: An excellent seizure by Border Force officers
Tim Kingsberry, Border Force Regional Director, said:
“This was an excellent seizure by Border Force officers, who have prevented a large amount of lethal Class A drugs from reaching the UK’s streets.
“Alongside our law enforcement partners, we will continue to do all we can to disrupt the international trade in drug smuggling.”
Source: National Crime Agency
Image: © Hampshire Police
