Three men have been charged after ketamine with an estimated street value of £1.4million was discovered in east Suffolk.
National Crime Agency (NCA) officers arrested Richard Saul, 41 and of Woodbridge, and two others on a boat in the River Deben after they allegedly offloaded a number of boxes from the vessel into a waiting car at a dock in Ramsholt in the early hours of the morning on Saturday, February 17.
The boxes were then taken to a storage unit in Rendlesham where investigators found 200kg of ketamine inside during a search.
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A further two men, Sean Seymour, 58 and of Beech Road in Saxmundham, and Domenic Labella, 19 and of Beaconsfield Road in Ipswich, were arrested and are alleged to have transported the drugs to the storage unit.
The boat is alleged to have travelled from Amsterdam to the Suffolk dock for the purpose of importing drugs.
NCA investigators worked closely with Dutch partners to monitor the boat as it left the Netherlands before intercepting it as it left Suffolk.
A deactivated shotgun was found on the boat, while cannabis was found at the home addresses of Seymour and Labella.
Saul, Seymour, and Labella were charged with being concerned in the importation of controlled drugs, being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs and possession with intent to supply controlled drugs.
They appeared at Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Monday and were bailed until their next hearing at Ipswich Crown Court on Monday, March 18.
The two others arrested on the boat were released on bail.
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NCA branch commander Ty Surgeon said: "The discovery of these drugs is the result of a painstaking and long running investigation into the trafficking of drugs through international waters into the UK.
"It is another fantastic example of the NCA working with partners, including the Dutch police and Prosecutor's office, to tackle the upstream overseas drugs trade and stop the importation of a huge amount of ketamine we believe was destined for the streets of the UK.
"Anyone who thinks they can smuggle drugs into the UK should know that we will do everything at our disposal to stop your endeavours and protect the public."
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