The seizure shows how organised crime groups are using ever-more sophisticated methods to evade detection. Smugglers would have known Border Force faced paying out hundreds of thousands of pounds had they damaged the combined 40 tonnes of equipment without detecting anything. Home Office minister Mike Tapp said: Vile drug smugglers thought the threat of a huge damages bill would scare Border Force off intercepting this deadly cocaine haul.
US President Donald Trump sugested that military intervention could be used to deal with illegal migration to the UK during his state visit this week. But Trade Secretary Peter Kyle has rejected that call, telling BBC Breakfast the UK Border Force has specific responsibility for policing UK borders. He added the Navy has a "working relationship" with the border force and can be called up on when needed, but was focused on "national defence".