Southampton Port Target of Record 12-Tonne Cannabis Importation from Canada

Two men and one woman, all from South Wales and aged in their 30s and 40s, are in police custody following a record-breaking cannabis seizure. The arrests, made on Tuesday morning, stem from an investigation into the importation of 12 tonnes of cannabis from Canada, initially intercepted by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

The illicit shipment, comprising 1,200 boxes of cannabis, was in transit to Southampton Port when investigators identified the containers on 6 May. Warrants were subsequently executed at the suspects' homes in Merthyr Tydfil, Ebbw Vale, and Abertillery on 16 June by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).

The individuals face charges of facilitating the importations. Mike Tapp MP, Minister for Migration and Citizenship, characterised the seizure as 'record-breaking,' denouncing drug importation as a 'vile trade.'