A British Border Control officer was revealed to be one of four men, all British nationals, that were arrested near Calais for their involvement in an international crime gang smuggling drugs and guns to UK shores. The Mail Online reported that on Friday 6th October, a joint operation between both sides of the channel made 12 arrests and seized an impressive haul of weapons and narcotics that were destined for sale in the UK.
How much dope?
Police have revealed details of the bust, which claims to have seized an enormous 34kg of cocaine, and 7kg of heroin.
To put that into perspective, one source has stated that a single kilo of cocaine has a street price of £50,000, which means this gang were looking at some serious profit had they not been caught. In addition to the drugs, eleven firearms were confiscated, included pistols, revolvers, magazines, suppressors, and ammunition, a scary representation on what is been sold on our streets. UK gun crime is a growing threat, and the criminals involved are becoming much more sophisticated; there have been some shocking cases this year alone, such as Merseyside police seizing a gun involved in 19 shootings, and a shooting outside a primary school in Glasgow.
Arresting the gang
The combined efforts of both French and British police forces led to the arrests of 12 men in total, one of which was swiftly identified as a 36-year-old British Border Force Officer from Dover.
This, ultimately, is quite shocking, and has revealed the way in which it is possible to exploit such positions of power for shadowy profits. Eight arrests were made in London and Kent, leading to 6 men being charged; they are due to appear at Barkingside Magistrates' Court later today and have been identified as:
- Christopher Hendra, 29, Kent
- Christopher Whitehead, 40, SE London
- Daniel Duvall, 36, Kent
- Liam Attwell, 18, Kent
- Terry Willett, 31, Kent
- Craig Brabon, 36, Kent
They will be charged with conspiracy to import firearms and Class A Drugs.
Dave Hucker, head of the NCA's anti-corruption task force, stated that the bringing together of French/British law enforcement stopped the gang from importing "significant quantities" of narcotics and guns, as well as leading to a wider search of property in areas such as Folkestone and Dover.
Following this, Detective Chief-superintendent Michael Gallagher expressed his pride at the success of their efforts by saying these operations emphasise how vital collaborative efforts are whilst targeting gangs that "operate across borders".
