Heroin encased in cement block seized in UK

British police report an increase in border seizures of the class-A drug

British police arrested a 32-year-old man after finding heroin encased in cement in the back of his vehicle. Metropolitan Police

British police found 24 kilogrammes of drugs encased in a cement block after pulling over a vehicle in east London.

Officers arrested a 32-year-old over the seizure of the 48 packages of heroin after an investigation into the supply of class A drugs. Pictures released by the force showed the block broken up to reveal the drugs inside.

Commander Dave McLaren said: “This demonstrates the extent criminals will go to in order to conceal drugs-trafficking activity from police.”

British law enforcement in its 2020 threat assessment reported a substantial increase in heroin seizures at its borders – but prices have stayed stable, indicating that plenty has been getting through.

Recent seizures included a haul of 1.3 tonnes from a container ship at the port of Felixstowe on the east coast of England in September last year.

That haul, with a street value of £120 million ($159m) and found stitched inside a cargo of towels and bathrobes, was the largest yet seized at a UK border.