Cocaine worth £20m and wrapped in blocks of frozen meat is seized in Essex

Packages of cocaine were wrapped in frozen meat ( PA )

Cocaine worth an estimated £20 million and found wrapped in blocks of frozen meat has been seized in Essex.

The National Crime Agency said more than 200kg of the drug was seized from a Dutch-registered lorry when it arrived in Harwich from the Hook of Holland on Monday.

The drugs were discovered by Border Force officers conducting standard checks.

Robert Tromp, from Hillegom in the Netherlands, has been charged with attempting to import class A drugs and appeared before Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Border Force officers carried out a check on a Dutch-registered refrigerated HGV arriving into the port of Harwich and found wraps of cocaine (PA)

Tromp, 48, was remanded in custody to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on December 12.

A block of frozen meat, in which packages of cocaine were wrapped (PA)

National Crime Agency branch commander Jacque Beer said: “While forensic checks are still being carried out on this seizure, it is likely that the total haul would have had a street value in excess of £20 million once cut and sold at a street purity level.

“Our investigation into those responsible is continuing, but we can say that this will have put a big dent in the profits of the criminal network likely to be behind it and caused them substantial disruption.

"The illicit drug trade is a key driver behind the gang violence and exploitation we see on UK streets, which is why we, along with partners like Border Force, are determined to do all we can to stop drugs at source and protect the public. This was an excellent detection by our Border Force colleagues.”

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/cocaine-worth-20m-and-wrapped-in-blocks-of-frozen-meat-is-seized-in-essex-a4285281.html