Four men arrested after 400kg cocaine haul found on fishing boat off Kent coast

Four men have been arrested after 400kg of cocaine was found on board a fishing boat off the Kent coast.

Border Force intercepted the vessel on Sunday morning, the National Crime Agency said.

Three men on board the boat, aged 25, 45, and 64, were arrested on suspicion of importing Class A drugs, while a fourth, aged 36, was arrested at an address in Rainham, east London.

NCA operations manager Jules Harriman said: “This amount of cocaine will represent a significant loss for the organised crime group that attempted to import it into the UK.

“With our partners at Border Force and the Joint Maritime Security Centre, we have successfully removed this harmful drug consignment from the criminal marketplace. Our investigation into this importation continues.”

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Danny Hewitt, director of Border Force national operational headquarters, added: “This is a significant seizure and demonstrates how Border Force work closely with partners at the National Crime Agency to stop these toxic drugs from hitting our streets in the first place.

“We continue to work tirelessly to protect our borders and keep the public safe.”