A major drugs gang which has used corrupt baggage handlers to smuggle millions of pounds worth of cocaine through Heathrow airport was busted today in a wave of arrests.
A total of 11 people, including one woman, were held as 125 officers from the National Crime Agency and police carried out early-morning raids across London and the South-East. They included three baggage handlers from Heathrow.
Others detained included people allegedly linked to drugs barons in South America, from where cocaine and cannabis were being flown in, and alleged British “wholesalers” responsible for selling the drugs to street dealers.
Four were arrested at an address in Stoke Newington. Others were held in Tooting, Thornton Heath, Hayes, Chigwell and Banstead.
An inmate at London’s Wandsworth prison was also arrested. His alleged involvement in the drugs operation is understood to have taken place before he was jailed.
Today’s action follows the seizure of about 100 kilos of cocaine, with a street value of at least £10 million, and 50 kilos of cannabis at Heathrow over the past 15 months.
Most of the drugs were flown in from Brazil to be smuggled through Customs by corrupt baggage handlers and given to a London-based organised crime gang.
The criminal operation will raise concerns about security at Heathrow and the vetting system that is employed to check baggage as well as other staff who are cleared to work in the airport with access to planes and their cargo.
All the suspects held today were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to import class A drugs and are now being questioned at police stations around London. The ages of those held range from 24 to 60.
The National Crime Agency’s senior investigating officer David Reynders said as he announced the arrests today: “Large-scale drug smuggling through UK airports is high risk for organised criminals.
“This operation was coordinated to strike simultaneously at as many parts of the suspected drugs ring as possible.
“The NCA is grateful for the support and co-operation it has received from the airport authorities and Border Force, all of whom have a vested interest in protecting the security of our borders.”
Officials indicated that there was no evidence of other items, such as firearms, being smuggled through Heathrow by the baggage handlers who were arrested today over the drugs allegations. The security breach is, however, certain to lead to questions about the ability of those with criminal intent to obtain clearance to work at the airport — particularly given the continuing terrorist threat to flights.
In the case of today’s drug arrests, it is understood that most of the seizures were the result of intelligence that enabled the NCA to identify the flights on which the cocaine and cannabis were being smuggled in.
The coordinated raids were intended to ensure that as many as possible of those involved in the gang, including those masterminding the operation, were arrested.
