Man charged over £53m cocaine seizure at UK port

A man has appeared in court after police seized 536kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of more than £53m.

Thomas Lee, 44, was arrested in Manchester over the seizure which happened at the London Gateway port, near Thurrock, Essex, on Friday 13 February.

He was charged with conspiracy to import Class A drugs and faces a separate charge of conspiracy to import 872kg of cannabis in November 2025.

Lee, of Ellerton, near Howden in East Yorkshire, was remanded in custody at Leeds Magistrates' Court on Monday and is due to appear before Leeds Crown Court on 16 March.

Ramona Senior, head of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: "By working in partnership with UK Border Force, we have made a significant disruption to the supply of harmful drugs coming into Yorkshire and the Humber."

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