Man charged after attempted cocaine importation

A Bulgarian man appeared in court on Wednesday (24 February 2016) charged with an attempted drug importation.

On Monday, 22 February, Border Force officers at the inward freight controls at Dover's Eastern Docks stopped a Bulgarian-registered lorry and questioned the driver. They then searched the lorry and its load finding 24 packages of a white powder which tested positively to a field test for cocaine. The drugs weighed approximately 24 kilos and have an estimated street level value of £1.2 million.

Boris Obreshkov, a Bulgarian national, was arrested and the investigation passed to the National Crime Agency (NCA). He was later charged with the attempted drugs importation. At Folkestone Magistrates Court he pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody until his next appearance on 23 March at Canterbury Crown Court.

It was the second cocaine detection made by Border Force at Dover in two days.

On Sunday (21 February) officers discovered 40 kilos of cocaine in a Slovakian-registered lorry. A 53-year-old man with dual Croatian/Serbian nationality was arrested in connection with this seizure and has been bailed until August 2016 while further investigations are carried out.

Enquiries by the National Crime Agency into both cases are continuing.

Paul Morgan, Director of Border Force South East and Europe said: "By making these seizures, Border Force officers have prevented a substantial quantity of dangerous drugs from ending up on the streets. It demonstrates the excellent work our officers carry out to prevent smuggling of all kinds - whether it is illegal drugs, weapons, tobacco or stowaways.

"Working with law enforcement colleagues like the NCA we are determined to do all we can to prevent drug trafficking and put those responsible behind bars."