Scarcity Studios's video: NCA Seize 4 2 Tonne Cocaine Martinique Euro Drug Busts News streetnews

A major operation involving the National Crime Agency has the resulted in the seizure of 4.2 tonnes of cocaine that was destined for Europe. Fishing vessel in the seaWorking with European partners as part of an investigation started last year, the NCA developed intelligence leading to the identification of a fishing vessel that was carrying the drugs. On Sunday 17 January a French naval vessel operating out of Martinique intercepted and boarded the boat in international waters east of Barbados. The high-purity drugs found on board would likely have had a street value of several hundred million pounds to criminal networks in Europe. The boat and her eight crew were apprehended and handed over to administrative and judicial authorities. Officers from the NCA’s international network shared intelligence and coordinated the deployment of law enforcement and military assets, working closely with international partners through the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC-N) in Lisbon. The EU law enforcement tools that the UK currently uses are some of the most efficient and effective mechanisms for partnership working that are available anywhere in the world. UK access to these tools helps law enforcement, both in the UK and across Europe, to protect European citizens. We want to maintain access to the tools and ensure the future agreement allows us to keep shaping and joining future innovations in this area. We have been clear with international partners that our commitment to working together is unchanged – and the message we hear from them is that they are committed to working with us and see the significant value of UK access to these EU tools.