Whitwell man in custody over £2.3m cocaine smuggling plot as further arrests made

The drugs were discovered in a car being driven through the Channel Tunnel terminal in Coquelles, France, on its way to the UK in September 2023.Border Force officers recovered 78kg of drugs from a specially constructed hide under the driver’s seat.

The driver of the vehicle, 23-year-old Lewis Krawciw from Whitwell, was then arrested and charged with importing class A drugs.

He remains remanded in custody and due in court at a future date.

As part of their ongoing investigation, National Crime Agency (NCA) officers also raided a house in Emmett Carr Lane, Renishaw on February 8, and arrested a 37-year-old man suspected of organising the smuggling attempt.

At the same time officers also raided a separate property in Church Warsop.

No arrests were made there, but a 26-year-old man later handed himself in at a police station in Nottinghamshire and was arrested on suspicion of drug importation offences.

Both are now being questioned by NCA investigators and searches are continuing.

NCA senior investigating officer Richard Bowen said: “This operation was the latest phase of an investigation into a significant drug importation that would have netted millions in criminal profit, had it got through.

“Working with partners like Border Force we are determined to do all we can to stem the supply of illegal drugs, and disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved in their distribution.

“Our investigation continues.”