A driver has been caught with £10million worth of cocaine hidden in the back of his frozen fish van.
James Satterley was stopped by Border Force officers as he drove the refrigerated lorry off the ferry at Newhaven Port, East Sussex, early yesterday morning.
The 50-year-old was found with 97 packages stashed among the batch of fish which each contained around one kilogram of cocaine.
The haul was discovered in the back of a refrigerated lorry when the vehicle was searched as it came off a ferry at Newhaven port, East Sussex
He has since been charged with importing Class A drugs and has been remanded in custody until he appears before Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The National Crime Agency said that the drugs, which have now been taken away for further analysis, could have been sold for around £10million at street level.
An NCA spokesperson said: ‘If cut and sold at street level it is likely the haul would have had a potential value of around £10 million.’
Officers found 97 packages, each containing around 1kg of cocaine and the driver has been charged with importing Class A drugs
NCA senior investigating officer Paul Morris said: ‘NCA officers are working alongside Border Force, Sussex Police, Thames Valley Police and the South East regional organised crime unit to investigate this seizure and the circumstances around it.
‘Working with partners we are determined to do all we can to disrupt the organised crime groups involved in the large-scale importation of class A drugs which fuel serious violence and impact some of the most vulnerable members of our society.
‘Making seizures like this is an important part of that work.’
