£40m of cocaine found in van in Yorkshire pub car park as four men arrested

By Pol Allingham, PA
Published 6th May 2024, 08:14 BST
Updated 6th May 2024, 11:22 BST
Four men have been arrested after £40 million of cocaine was found in a van in a village pub car park.

Around 500kg of the drug was discovered in the back of a Vauxhall Vivaro in the car park in Lelley, East Yorkshire, the National Crime Agency said.

Officers believe a few hours before the haul was found it had been transferred to shore in a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) travelling from a larger vessel off the Hull coast.

The RHIB was abandoned at Easington Beach, the NCA added.

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Handout photo dated 04/05/24 issued by the National Crime Agency (NCA) of cocaine seized, as four men have been arrested after £40 million of cocaine was found in a van in a village pub car park. Around 500kg of the drug was discovered in the back of a Vauxhall Vivaro in the car park in Lelley, East Yorkshire, the National Crime Agency said. National Crime Agency/PA WireHandout photo dated 04/05/24 issued by the National Crime Agency (NCA) of cocaine seized, as four men have been arrested after £40 million of cocaine was found in a van in a village pub car park. Around 500kg of the drug was discovered in the back of a Vauxhall Vivaro in the car park in Lelley, East Yorkshire, the National Crime Agency said. National Crime Agency/PA Wire
Handout photo dated 04/05/24 issued by the National Crime Agency (NCA) of cocaine seized, as four men have been arrested after £40 million of cocaine was found in a van in a village pub car park. Around 500kg of the drug was discovered in the back of a Vauxhall Vivaro in the car park in Lelley, East Yorkshire, the National Crime Agency said. National Crime Agency/PA Wire

The beach is around 18 miles from the Stags Head Inn in Lelley, where the drugs “with a potential street value of around £40 million” were found.

A 22-year-old from Argyll, a 32-year-old from Oban and a 24-year-old from Campbeltown, all in Scotland, were arrested at 8.30am on Saturday in Lelley, as well as a 39-year-old from Colombia, the NCA added.

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Senior investigating officer Alan French said: “This was a significant amount of cocaine and its seizure will be a sizeable blow to the organised crime group which attempted to smuggle it into the UK.

“There’s no doubt these drugs would have been sold into communities around the UK, fuelling further crime and exploitation.

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“Working with our law enforcement partners we are determined to do all we can to disrupt criminal activity, and protect the UK’s border security.

“Our investigation continues following these arrests.”

The NCA operation was supported by Humberside Police, Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit and Border Force.

UPDATE MONDAY MORNING

Four men have been charged after cocaine with a potential street value of around £40 million was found in a van in a village pub car park.

Around 500kg of the drug was discovered in the back of a van in the car park in Lelley, East Yorkshire, the National Crime Agency said.

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Four men, a 39-year-old Colombian national of no fixed abode and three men aged 22, 24 and 32 from Argyll and Bute, were arrested on Saturday in connection with the investigation.

The NCA said they have now been charged with the importation of class A drugs.

They are expected to appear at Hull Magistrates’ Court in due course.