Four arrested after £40m worth of cocaine was found in pub car park

Monday, May 6, 2024 - Four men have been arrested by police after £40 million of cocaine was found in a van in a village pub car park.

Around 500kg of the drug was discovered in the back of a Vauxhall Vivaro van in the car park in Lelley, East Yorkshire, the National Crime Agency (NCA) in the UK said.

Police Officers believe a few hours before the haul was found it had been transferred to shore in a rigid-hulled inflatable boat travelling from a larger vessel off the Hull coast.

The boat was abandoned at Easington Beach, the NCA added.

The beach is around 18 miles from the Stags Head Inn in Lelley, where the drugs “with a potential street value of around £40 million” were found.

A 22 year-old from Argyll, a 32 year-old from Oban and a 24 year-old from Campbeltown, all in Scotland, were arrested at 8.30am on Saturday, May 4, in Lelley, as well as a 39 year-old from Colombia, the NCA added.

Senior investigating officer Alan French said: “This was a significant amount of cocaine and its seizure will be a sizeable blow to the organised crime group which attempted to smuggle it into the UK.

“There’s no doubt these drugs would have been sold into communities around the UK, fuelling further crime and exploitation.

“Working with our law enforcement partners we are determined to do all we can to disrupt criminal activity, and protect the UK’s border security.

“Our investigation continues following these arrests.”

The NCA operation was supported by Humberside Police, Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit and Border Force.