Lorry driver charged over heroin and cocaine hidden in chocolates

A lorry driver has been charged following the seizure of cocaine and heroin worth £5.7 million.

Irish national 64-year-old Robert Wilkin, now living near Tilbury in Essex, was questioned by officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) after his lorry was stopped at the Coquelles Channel Tunnel terminal on August 12.

Wilkin’s Polish-registered lorry was carrying a load of Belgian chocolates, which documents showed he was due to deliver to a location in Maidstone, Kent.

But hidden in two pallets of the chocolates Border Force officers discovered tape wrapped packages.

In total 63 kilos of heroin and 32 kilos of cocaine were seized, which once cut and adulterated would have been worth more than £5.7 million at street level.

NCA officers later charged Wilkin with attempting to import class A drugs.

He appeared before Folkestone magistrates on August 14 where he was bailed to appear before Canterbury Crown Court on September 13.

NCA Branch Commander Martin Grace said, ““This was a significant seizure of class A drugs of the type we see being distributed by violent and exploitative street gangs and county lines networks.

“Working with our law enforcement partners like Border Force we are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle the organised crime groups involved in bringing these drugs to the UK,” he added on August 18.

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