Archives quotidiennes :

UK 🇬🇧 (NCA) : Bristol man charged over attempted drug importation

Publié le par
Répondre

A Bristol man has been charged with drug offences following his arrest by National Crime Agency officers investigating the attempted importation of cocaine with a potential street value of around £1.75 million.

Derick Everton Grant, 52, originally from Jamaica, is the director of a food importation company that allegedly arranged the shipment in 10 pallets of ackee, the national fruit of Jamaica, imported to Portbury Dock, Bristol. 

When Border Force officers diligently searched the shipment on Friday (17 March) they identified a number of boxes in which the tins were filled with cocaine rather than fruit. The tins contained a total of 22kgs of cocaine.

Grant was arrested yesterday morning as he exited a flat on Broomhill Road in Bristol, carrying a bag containing his passport, a large quantity of cash and two high value watches.

Two other individuals from the Bristol area, a 41 year old man 35 year old woman, were also arrested yesterday. They have both been released on bail following interviews.  

The operation was supported by Border Force, the Avon and Somerset police, the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit and HMRC.

Anthony Hubbard, operations manager for the NCA said: “This operation will have a significant impact on the supply of illegal drugs in the Bristol area. It is a superb example of what we achieve through collaboration, working with law enforcement partners to disrupt criminal activity, and protect the UK’s border security.

“We share a determination to bear down on criminal exploitation of our ports and yesterday’s operation demonstrates that in action, and I want to thank those partners who worked with us. Our investigation continues.”

21 March 2023

000000

UK 🇬🇧: Gold shipment forfeited after NCA links it to drug cartels

Publié le par
Répondre

The National Crime Agency has obtained a civil recovery order for gold worth an estimated £4 million that was being laundered by South American drug cartels.

NCA financial investigators took up the case after the shipment of gold weighing 104 kilos was seized at Heathrow in June 2019.

Gold 2The gold was in the cargo section of a plane which had arrived from the Cayman Islands.

It was being transported from the Caymans to Switzerland via Heathrow, having earlier been shipped to the Caymans on a private jet which had arrived from Venezuela.

NCA officers worked closely with authorities in the Cayman Islands to prove a false paperwork trail had been created to hide the true origin of the gold as Venezuela, and that those involved in the organisation and physical movement of the gold had links to organised crime.

The remaining 20 per cent will be returned to companies with a financial interest in the gold.
 

NCA Branch Commander Andy Noyes said: “Criminals are attracted to gold as a way of moving drugs money due to the high value contained in relatively small amounts.

“Our investigation showed this shipment was linked to drug cartels operating out of South America, but we were able to stop it reaching its final destination thanks to established links with overseas partners.

“This intervention has disrupted the criminal network, stopping them from reinvesting in further criminality that causes harm to our communities.”

21 March 2023

000000