UK-Colombian cooperation drives cocaine bosses to new tactics

3 December 2010

Eight Colombian drug traffickers were arrested this week in the Cali region as part of an ongoing operation between SOCA and the Colombian Anti-Narcotics Police.

The men are members of an organised crime group that arranged the delivery of large consignments of cocaine via sea and air to other crime groups across Europe. Officers discovered they had also begun distributing cocaine in smaller parcels and seized 19 kilos of drugs concealed within children’s toys, car parts and camping equipment.

Neil Giles from SOCA said:

“Whilst most cocaine destined for the UK comes across the Atlantic in sea containers, traffickers will look for any opportunities to get their product to market and we have to be alert to every trick they try. Their tactics are changing constantly, especially as they feel the squeeze from the UK's increasingly effective partnership with the Colombian authorities. Tackling drug trafficking at the point of production is a more effective way of reducing harm. Together we have disrupted a well established organised crime group.”

Twenty seven people were arrested two weeks ago during a separate operation involving SOCA and Merseyside Police which targeted a number of UK-based crime groups. A number of these people are believed to have links to the Colombian crime group.

Officers from the ANP are now obtaining International Arrest Warrants for another three Colombians who were receiving consignments of cocaine and arranging their onward distribution across Europe.