Three arrested after record-breaking 12-tonne cannabis haul seized

Border Force officers have seized a record 12-tonne shipment of cannabis worth £139m.

The illegal haul of drugs was found in two shipping containers at Southampton's port and had come from Canada.

Officers found 1,200 boxes of cannabis inside them on May 6, making it the force's largest-ever cannabis seizure.

Three people were arrested on Tuesday by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit on suspicion of facilitating importations.

The containers were identified before their arrival in the UK, according to Border Force, who had been working with their Canadian counterparts.

The previous largest cannabis seizure was a 2017 haul of just under eight tonnes at Southampton Port.

Border Force director general Phil Douglas said: "This biggest cannabis seizure ever shows Border Force's relentless action to stop drugs reaching UK streets and destroying lives.

"My thanks to our officers, the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit, and the Canada Border Services Agency for their dedication, collaboration, and professionalism."

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The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) also prevented a shipping container with cannabis destined for the UK leaving the country in April.

CBSA president Erin O'Gorman said: "These seizures reflect the strength of the combined operational focus and intelligence-sharing efforts between Canadian federal law enforcement and our UK Border Force partners.

"It is the result of a highly co-ordinated, intelligence-led approach to disrupting transnational organized crime.

"The movement of illegal cannabis fuels organized crime networks, and this seizure underscores our collective commitment to combat these criminal activities and keep our borders strong and secure."

Minister for migration and citizenship Mike Tapp said: "We will not allow criminal gangs to profit from misery and peddle their vile trade."

Border Force reported seizures of illegal drugs totalling 148 tonnes in the year ending March 2025.

(c) Sky News 2026: Three arrested after record-breaking 12-tonne cannabis haul seized