Authorities seize 5 tons of cocaine from banana, wine shipments

World U.K. authorities seize 5 tons of cocaine worth over $500 million from banana, red wine shipments By Kerry Breen Kerry Breen News Editor Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use. Read Full Bio Kerry Breen April 11, 2026 / 11:54 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Border agents in the United Kingdom have seized about five tons of cocaine at a single port in just under a month, the country's Home Office said on social media. The drugs are estimated to be worth over £400 million, or about $538 million, the agency said. The drugs were seized at London Gateway, a deep-sea container port about 30 miles from London. It is the second-largest port in England and handles large container ships. The Home Office said "criminal gangs attempted to evade detection" by hiding drugs in other cargo, including inside a banana shipment and on a vat of South American wine. Photos show the drugs inside cargo containers and inside shipments, as well as spread out on a building floor.  Border Force seized around five tonnes of cocaine at London Gateway in under a month, estimated to be worth over £400 million.Criminal gangs attempted to evade detection by concealing drugs in a banana shipment and on a vat of South American wine. pic.twitter.com/Z5JMk3fnWW— Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) April 11, 2026 The Home Office did not say if any arrests have been made as part of the seizures. It's not the first major bust at a London port in recent weeks. Three men were charged after allegedly attempting to smuggle nearly $100 million worth of cocaine through England's Southampton Docks in March. The three men, who were all arrested and will next appear in court on April 17, hid the drugs in a banana shipment. In February 2024, another Southampt...