Two individuals have been accused following the discovery of cocaine valued at £75 million concealed within banana pallets. Border Force authorities uncovered close to a metric ton, specifically 943kg, of the illicit substance hidden in banana shipments arriving at Southampton Docks from Nicaragua.

Images shared by the National Crime Agency reveal the cocaine neatly packed in black plastic and arranged in bricks alongside the bananas. The agency highlighted the surge in cocaine production in Colombia reaching record levels, emphasizing that the majority of illegal drugs are produced abroad and trafficked into the UK.

Recently, NCA director-general Graeme Biggar discussed the increasing creativity of criminals in smuggling illegal substances globally. He noted the alteration of cocaine at a molecular level to merge with other materials like charcoal, glue, or plastic before being separated upon arrival.

Criminals have resorted to various tactics for smuggling, including coating it on broom handles, blending it into red wine bottles, and utilizing methods such as yachts, small boats, light aircraft, vehicle traffic from continental Europe, airline passengers, and postal services to transport illegal drugs into Britain.

According to the NCA’s annual National Strategic Assessment, the threat from serious and organized crime escalated last year, primarily driven by drugs in the UK. Synthetic opioids, particularly nitazenes, have posed significant risks, with over 1,000 deaths linked to their emergence at scale in the country since June 2023.

Daniel Dumitru, aged 37 from Smethwick, West Midlands, and Andrew Smyth, aged 46 from Prenton, Merseyside, have been formally charged with importing the Class A substance. The two suspects were scheduled to appear at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.