These cans of fruit are worth £1,750,000 (because of what’s inside them)
Cans of fruit turned out to be full with 22kgs of cocaine – at a suspected street value of around £1.75 million.
A food importation company allegedly arranged the shipment to Bristol in 10 pallets said to be carrying ackee, the national fruit of Jamaica.
But firm director Derick Everton Grant, 52, was arrested when Border Force officers identified a number of boxes full with drugs on Friday.
Police say they found Grant – originally from Jamaica – leaving a Bristol flat, carrying a bag containing his passport, a large quantity of cash and two high value watches. He has since been charged with drug offences.
Two other people from the Bristol area- a 41-year-old man and 35-year-old woman – were also arrested on Monday. They have both been released on bail following interviews.
The discovery will have ‘a significant impact on the supply of illegal drugs in the Bristol area’, the National Crime Agency has said.
Anthony Hubbard, operations manager for the NCA, said: ‘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.’
The operation was supported by Border Force, the Avon and Somerset police, the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit and HMRC.
It’s not the first time cocaine has been hidden inside random items – last month, cocaine worth £275 million was discovered in a shipment of bananas headed to Belgium.
It’s also been stashed inside coffee beans and in a tumble dryer.
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