South American Gangs Drop Cocaine in UK Waters

Border Force officials have raised alarms about a sophisticated drug smuggling technique known as at-sea-drop-offs (ASDOs), where South American gangs drop cocaine worth tens of millions of pounds into the sea for local UK contacts to retrieve. These drugs are wrapped in flotation devices equipped with GPS trackers, allowing UK-based criminals to locate them. Recent cases include four British men who attempted to collect a tonne of cocaine valued at £100 million near the Isles of Scilly and face lengthy prison sentences following their conviction. Authorities have intensified efforts to intercept these operations, employing cutter units and specially trained sniffer dogs. Charlie Eastaugh, maritime director at Border Force, emphasized that they have the capability to track and seize these shipments despite the challenges. The growing use of this method poses a significant threat to UK security, as traditional land-based interception methods are circumvented.