Police have confirmed that drugs that washed up on a Welsh beach was a haul of cocaine worth £42m. Packages of what had been suspected to be drugs were found at two sites near Aberystwyth at the start of this month.
Thirty black bags were found washed up at Tan-y-Bwlch beach by a walker on Saturday, October 1.
The man said the bags were all tied together with rope, interspersed with plastic jugs, presumably to keep the bags afloat. Police later confirmed that the bags were all thought to contain cocaine, and that they consisted of an “unusually large amount”.
Dyfed Powys Police said that forensic work continues, but the haul is believed to be cocaine weighing around 1,200 kilos, which would amount to a wholesale value of around £42m.
Officers are continuing to work closely with the National Crime Agency around the consignment. At the time, police there had since been finds in a number of places along the coast, all of which had been seized by officers for analysis.
A statement said: "Our investigation continues and we reiterate to the public that if they find anything suspicious on the beaches, the contents shouldn’t be touched, and police should be contacted immediately.
"Like any drug, cocaine can produce unexpected and even dangerous side effects. At its most extreme, an overdose can cause organ damage and may cause death."
The walker who found the first package on Saturday said : “I was out for my early morning walk when I saw something on the beach. I was intrigued and walked up to it and knew what it was almost straight away. An old lady called the police and they came around half an hour later. They cut open a bag and it looked like pure cocaine. They dragged it off the beach and took it away.”
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