A 44-year-old man has appeared in court following the seizure of 536 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value exceeding £53 million.
Thomas Lee was arrested in Manchester after the drugs were intercepted at London Gateway port on Friday, 13 February.
Lee, of Ellerton near Howden in East Yorkshire, has been charged with conspiracy to import Class A drugs. He also faces a separate charge of conspiracy to import 872 kilograms of cannabis in November 2025.
He appeared before Leeds Magistrates’ Court on Monday, where he was remanded in custody. He is scheduled to appear next at Leeds Crown Court on 16 March.
Ramona Senior, head of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit, said the operation represented a significant disruption to the supply of harmful drugs entering the region. She added that the case highlights the importance of partnership work with UK Border Force in tackling large-scale drug importation.
