Police forces and Border Force helped to break criminal gangs’ supply chain, keep our borders secure and communities safe by seizing millions of illicit drugs.

During the period, seizures of Class A drugs increased by 17% and despite seizures of cocaine down by 6% the overall quantity of cocaine seized increased by 161% to 11,148kg. In total, there were 17,641 seizures of cocaine in 2020 to 2021.

For the third year running, the number of drug seizures made by Border Force for all drug types has increased – up 79 per cent from 2019/20 – driven by intelligence led approaches to head-off drugs and the proceeds of drugs as they cross the UK border.

The vast majority (89%) of all drug seizures were made by police forces, with the remaining 11% made by Border Force. Although police forces were responsible for more seizures, Border Force seized a much greater quantity of drugs.

During the period, Border Force and the police seized the following quantities:

• for Class A seizures, 11,148 kg of cocaine, 1,973 kg of heroin and 1.4 million doses of ecstasy
• for Class B seizures, 17,213 kg of herbal cannabis, 1,990 kg of cannabis resin, and 187 kg of ketamine
• for Class C seizures, 1.64 million doses of anabolic steroids, 55 kg of GHB and 415,000 doses of temazepam

Working in partnership, local police forces, Border Force, the National Crime Agency and international partners use intelligence and technology to keep our borders safe, prevent drug trafficking and bring those responsible to justice.

Expert staff use a range of methods including hi-tech search equipment and visual checks to detect illegal and restricted goods that criminals attempt to bring into the country.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 

UK law enforcement is going after the criminals who blight so many communities and destroy lives through drugs.

I continue to back the police and Border Force to use all available law enforcement powers to stop drugs from coming into our country and go after the kingpins destroying communities.

Policing and Crime Minister Kit Malthouse said:

These seizures mean some nasty villains out there are nursing huge losses and probably can’t pay their debts. Good.

Drug gangs ruin lives and dismantling their conspiracies for good means breaking their businesses and destroying their profits. Well done to the Border Force and the police for tackling this head on.

Steve Dann, Border Force Chief Operating Officer said:

Drug supply chains are violent and exploitative, impacting communities across the UK.

These seizures send a clear message to anyone prepared to smuggle illegal drugs into the country that we remain committed and prepared to tackle drug supply chains.

Border Force Officers involved in these seizures can be proud of their work in stopping these dangerous drugs from entering our communities.

Since the period covered by these statistics, Border Force have continued to make major seizures, including:

• on 6 January 2022, Border Force officers working a Southampton Container Port, seized 103kgs of cocaine that had been concealed within a container of 20 pallets of bananas.
• on inspection, Border Force officers discovered four holdalls, each found to contain approximately 25 wrapped packages which tested positive for the presence of cocaine
• the container had recently arrived from Colombia on board the Merchant Vessel Maersk Bali. The container was selected for examination by the officers who identified an anomaly when it was scanned
• Border Force estimates that the street value of the cocaine is £7.5 million

Securing the border to crack down on supply chains and criminal gangs profiting from the trade in illegal drugs is a key part of the government’s 10-year Drug Strategy to tackle the harms caused by drug misuse. 

The strategy will see £300 million invested in pursuing and closing down the ruthless gangs who exploit and threaten our most vulnerable in society for financial gain through the illegal drugs trade and £780 million invested in treatment and recovery.

Kevin Morris, also known as Kevin Gordon Sykes, 61, from north London has been disqualified for the maximum 15 years after he was found to be a de facto director of Rigil Kent Acquisitions Limited (RKAL), while disqualified from acting as a director, as well as deliberating undermining the insolvency regime through RKAL’s dishonest activities.

Breaching a disqualification is a criminal offence and Kevin Morris’ latest disqualification has been passed to the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider further action.

RKAL, which was established in 2015, presented itself as a turnaround or recovery service, and promised companies in financial difficulties that it would enable them to wipe their business debts and avoid formal insolvency proceedings, for a fee of between £5,000 and 10% of the failing company’s total liabilities. Morris would assure directors that they could walk away from any further financial or legal responsibility in the company, which was not true.

RKAL was shut down by the Insolvency Service in February 2018, along with eight associated entities, and an investigation was launched.

RKAL’s website described the company as offering ‘unlicensed Insolvency Practitioners’, which do not exist.

It also stated that RKAL would “discuss options such as Corporate Rescue Sale, a Company Voluntary Arrangement or a Scheme of Arrangement all of which we will implement for you taking the worry off your shoulders.” However, no evidence of this was identified in the investigation.

Kevin Morris benefited financially from RKAL’s activities while no money was returned to creditors including those of the distressed companies RKAL acquired.

According to documents filed at Companies House, the sole director of RKAL was Nataliia Fox, who was in a relationship with Kevin Morris at that time. She was under his direction and generally working on his instructions.

As a result, Nataliia Fox has been disqualified for 11 years, for allowing the company to trade as it did, and allowing Kevin Morris to act as a director while knowing he was disqualified from doing so.

Jo Caswell, Deputy Official Receiver said:

Kevin Morris claimed to be an unlicensed insolvency practitioner, a role that does not exist. As the Court has found, he created a nefarious scheme for the purpose of subverting the insolvency system for his own financial gain, and he flagrantly breached his previous disqualification in doing so.

The Insolvency Service will not hesitate to act in protecting the public from commercially immoral business practices, winding up those corporate vehicles utilised and taking action against their directors. Kevin Morris now faces a further maximum period of disqualification and may also face criminal sanction for his actions.

Notes to editors

Kevin Morris, previously known as Kevin Gordon Sykes, is of Stanmore, London, and his date of birth is July 1960.

The High Court gave Kevin Morris a 15-year disqualification order, beginning on 2 February 2022. The disqualification order prevents him from directly or indirectly becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company without the permission of the court.

Nataliia Fox, is of Bushey, Hertfordshire, and her date of birth is September 1981.

The High Court gave Nataliia Fox an 11-year disqualification order, beginning on 2 February 2022. The disqualification order prevents her from directly or indirectly becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company without the permission of the court.

Rigil Kent Acquisitions Limited (Company Reg no. 09807539).

The order was pronounced by Judge Schaffer in the High Court of Justice.

Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of restrictions.

Information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct.

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These will be at the heart of the government’s Way to Work Campaign to encourage more people across Great Britain into jobs.

Towns and cities from Falkirk to Torquay are now home to over 150 new temporary jobcentres and over 150 Youth Hubs, with more to follow, as the government pledges to get 500,000 people a job by the end of June.

Work Coaches at jobcentres are at the forefront of the government’s drive to help people access the support they need to get into work, and many of the team recently joined the Department for Work and Pensions as part of the rapid recruitment drive to hire 13,500 new Work Coaches to boost job seeker support as we recover from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

A further 50 jobcentres are expected to open to the public in the coming months as efforts ramp up to get jobseekers into work faster, through the Way to Work campaign, by bringing them face to face with employers and encouraging them to look for work in a sector they may not have previously considered.

Work and Pensions Secretary of State, Thérèse Coffey, said:

We know how much people benefit from getting into work – both financially and for their wellbeing. And from getting any job first, they can get a better job next and then progress to a career.

Jobcentres and Youth Hubs are crucial to get people into work, and will help level up opportunity across the country as through our Way to Work campaign we invite employers wherever they are to work with us and help find 500,000 people a job by the end of June.

Driving the new Way to Work campaign, Work Coaches will help those who are capable of work search more widely for jobs from the fourth week of their claim, rather than from three months as is currently the case.

This clearer focus will ensure that, if people are not able to find work in their previous occupation or sector, they are expected to look for work in another sector and this will be part of their requirements for receiving their benefit payment.

Work Coach at Wigan Mesnes House Jobcentre Plus, Mike Cook said:

Being able to provide support and guidance to people in the local community on their journey to gain sustainable long-term employment, and therefore improving their lives, is the most rewarding and important aspect of my job as a Work Coach for the Department for Work and Pensions.

There are also over 150 Youth Hubs now up and running across the country helping young jobseekers access local training and job opportunities, as well as a range of services to address wellbeing needs.

Investing in the skills and opportunities of young people and helping people into work at every stage of their lives is an integral part of the government’s ambitious plans for levelling up, which will transform the economic geography of the UK.

Youth Hub Work Coaches are working with jobcentre-based Youth Employability Coaches and tailored employment programmes, including Kickstart, to ensure quality, joined up support is accessible to those who need it.

Youth Work Coach at Barrow Youth Hub, Lisa Wicks said:

I have found working as a Youth Hub Work Coach both challenging and rewarding. To be able to offer support to some of our most vulnerable young people and to watch them grow in confidence and capability is a real privilege.

This has been supported by partnership, working both within the DWP and with external partners, and is making a real difference to the lives of the young people accessing the support available.

The government’s Plan for Jobs agenda is supporting jobseekers into work and those on low-pay to progress and earn more. The new Way to Work campaign will turbocharge this national effort by getting half a million people into work over the next five months.

Further information

• All 194 new temporary jobcentre sites have now been designated. A full list of temporary jobcentre sites, over 150 of which are now up and running, can be found here.
• The department has at least one Youth Hub in every Jobcentre Plus district across Great Britain.
• Youth Hubs share spaces and are run in partnership with partners including colleges, charities, training providers and local councils, meaning people are able to access expert local knowledge and a range of services in one location.
• More information on Way to Work can be found here.

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