Border agents in the United Kingdom have seized approximately five tons of cocaine at London Gateway port in just under a month. The drugs, hidden in banana and South American red wine shipments, are valued at over £400 million, or about $538 million. The Home Office announced the busts on social media.
The seizures occurred at London Gateway, a deep-sea container port roughly 30 miles east of London and the second-largest in England. Criminal gangs tried to conceal the cocaine within legitimate cargo, including a banana shipment and a vat of South American wine. Photos released by authorities show the drugs packed inside containers and spread out for inspection on a building floor. The Home Office did not disclose any arrests linked to these specific operations. The incident follows other major drug hauls at U.K. ports. In March, three men faced charges for attempting to smuggle nearly $100 million worth of cocaine hidden in bananas through Southampton Docks; they are due in court on April 17. Another Southampton banana shipment in February 2024 contained over 12,500 pounds of cocaine, marking the largest single seizure on record at the time. Globally, banana shipments have proven a popular smuggling method. Greek police uncovered nearly 600 pounds of cocaine in bananas in August 2025, while Russian authorities seized 1,800 pounds hidden under fruit in July, and Norwegian officials found more than 320 pounds in May after a tip from fruit workers.
