Five people have been arrested and cocaine worth more than £2 million has been seized

Five people have been arrested and cocaine worth more than £2 million has been seized as part of a drugs and money laundering investigation run by officers from the National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police Service.

On Tuesday evening (14 April), as part of a proactive operation, investigators from the Organised Crime Partnership (OCP), a joint NCA and Met Police team, moved in to arrest two men aged 32 and 29 on suspicion of class A drug supply offences in Gatwick Road, Gravesend, Kent.

They seized 20 kilos of cocaine from a van at the scene.

A third man was seen fleeing the location as officers moved in, and he is now wanted in connection with the investigation.

Officers then executed a search warrant at an address in Gatwick Road where a further four kilos of cocaine was found. A 32 year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of supplying drugs.

Searches of a second property on Rochester Road, Gravesend, led to the recovery of approximately £300,000 in cash. One man aged 51 and a woman aged 50 were arrested on suspicion of money laundering offences.

All those arrested are now in custody and are being question by NCA and MPS officers.

NCA head of specialist operations John Coles said:

“Taking this amount of class A drugs off the streets is a significant result for the OCP as we know cocaine fuels gang violence and exploitation.

“Seizing drugs and cash has a major impact on the wider organised crime groups that are involved in drug distribution, and prevents them from investing profits in further offending.

“Our investigation into these seizures continue, and we are still seeking one man in connection with them. I’d urge him to come forward to us, or for anyone with information about their whereabouts to get in touch via Crimestoppers.”