Northern Ireland

Irish lorry driver arrested after £3m of cocaine found among whey protein powder shipment

The vehicle, which was carrying a load of whey protein powder, was searched as it entered the UK zone of the terminal in Coquelles, northern France
The vehicle, which was carrying a load of whey protein powder, was searched as it entered the UK zone of the terminal in Coquelles, northern France The vehicle, which was carrying a load of whey protein powder, was searched as it entered the UK zone of the terminal in Coquelles, northern France

AN IRISH truck driver has been detained by Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA) after £3 million of cocaine was seized from his lorry at the Channel Tunnel terminal in France.

The vehicle, which was carrying a load of whey protein powder, was searched as it entered the UK zone of the terminal in Coquelles, northern France, on Tuesday evening.

Border Force teams working with the NCA found 42 tape-wrapped packages of cocaine hidden amongst the pallets.

The drugs would have had an estimated street value of around £3m if cut and sold in the UK.

The 43-year-old man from Portlaw, Co Waterford was arrested on suspicion of importing controlled drugs and questioned before being released `under investigation'.

NCA Dover branch operations manager Debbie Cook said it was "a considerable quantity of class A drugs, and the seizure will be a big hit to the criminal enterprise involved".

"Our investigation into this seizure continues."