Dutch man held in €20 million Channel Tunnel drug bust

The British authorities arrested a 60-year-old Dutchman and a 68-year-old Belgian for drug trafficking. Border police caught them trying to smuggle 200 kilograms of cocaine and heroin, worth around 20.4 million euros, through the Channel Tunnel into the United Kingdom, Metro reports.

The border police checked the suspects' van at the Tourist Controls at the Channel Tunnel border between the UK and France on June 10. They found the drugs hidden within the wall panels of the van. The two men are in custody on charges of importing Class A drugs. The National Crime Agency (NCA) is investigating.

"This case is just one example of our Border Force and law enforcement colleagues working around the clock to smash the business model of drug gangs by tackling their supply chains," said Kit Malthouse, the British Minister for Combatting Drugs. "The human cost of narcotics is tragic, which is why our 10-year drugs strategy sets out the action we are taking to make our streets safer by tacking the supply of drugs and also treating those in the helotry of addiction."

Ian Hanson, director of the Border Force Europe, called the bust "outstanding work." "This seizure and others like it send a clear message to anyone considering attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into the country that we remain committed and prepared to tackle drug supply chains."