Border Force officers in Dover have scuppered an attempt to smuggle cocaine into the UK hidden in a lorry carrying a load of wooden fence panels.

The seizure was made on Sunday, May 24, when officers stopped a Polish registered lorry at Dover’s Eastern Docks.

When Border Force officers searched the vehicle they found an estimated 80 kilos of cocaine.

50 kilos was hidden amongst the fence panels and 30 kilos was in a side locker of the trailer.

The drugs had a potential street value of around £7 million and the investigation was referred to the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Chris Philp, minister for immigration compliance and the courts, said: “Border Force officers are alive to the threat posed by organised criminal gangs and this seizure has taken millions of pounds worth of cocaine off our streets.

“Border Force will continue to work with the NCA to bring those involved in drug smuggling to justice.”

Polish national Slawomir Hulisz, of no fixed address, has been charged with the attempted importation of a Class A drug.

He appeared at Medway Magistrates Court on Tuesday, May 26, and was remanded in custody until his next court appearance.

Border Force officers use hi-tech search equipment to combat immigration crime and detect banned and restricted goods that smugglers attempt to bring into the country.

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