Gold bars worth more than £4million ‘belonging to cocaine cartels’ seized at Heathrow
Huge gold bars and cylinders weighing more than 16 stone were seized by Border Force at Heathrow Airport, which were believed to belong to South American drug cartels
The gold was en route from Venezuela to Switzerland via the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean.
Gold worth more than £4million suspected of belonging to South American cocaine cartels has been seized by the UK authorities after it was intercepted at Heathrow.
Financial investigators launched the case after the haul, weighing more than 16 stone, was recovered by the Border Force following intelligence received by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
It was shaped in bars, cylinders and even hearts.
The gold was en route from Venezuela to Switzerland via the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean.
It was held under the Proceeds of Crime Act, and last week the NCA told Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court that it had obtained a recovery order, allowing investigators to take possession of most of it.
NCA Branch Commander Andy Noyes said: “Criminals are attracted to gold as a way of moving drugs money due to the high value contained in relatively small amounts”
The gold was in the cargo section of a plane which had arrived from the Cayman Islands in July 2019.
It was being transported to Switzerland via Heathrow, having earlier been shipped to the Caymans on a private jet which had arrived from Venezuela.
NCA officers worked closely with authorities in the Cayman Islands to prove a false paperwork trail had been created to hide the true origin of the gold as Venezuela, and that those involved in the organisation and physical movement of the gold had links to organised crime.
Following settlement discussions and an application to the High Court, the NCA obtained a civil recovery order over 80 per cent of the gold under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The remaining 20 per cent will be returned to companies with a financial interest in the gold.
NCA Branch Commander Andy Noyes said: “Criminals are attracted to gold as a way of moving drugs money due to the high value contained in relatively small amounts.
“Our investigation showed this shipment was linked to drug cartels operating out of South America, but we were able to stop it reaching its final destination thanks to established links with overseas partners.
“This intervention has disrupted the criminal network, stopping them from reinvesting in further criminality that causes harm to our communities.”
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