Heathrow Airport worker 'found with £700,000 of cocaine in Terminal 5 toilets'

An airport security worker is among four people arrested after police seized £700,000 ($930,000) worth of cocaine from a toilet at Heathrow.

The 30-year-old employee from Southall, West London, and a 37-year-old man from Colombia were arrested in the Terminal 5 airside toilet by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers at around 3.30pm on Thursday (23 November).

Packages containing seven kilograms of cocaine were recovered from the scene.

The suspect from Colombia had recently stepped off a flight from the South American country's capital of Bogota, the NCA said.

Separately, a 43-year-old man was arrested in the airport arrivals area.

Shortly afterwards Met Police officers carried out a search of an address in East London, where a 46-year-old man was arrested.

All four men, who have not been named, are now in custody and being questioned on suspicion of drug importation offences.

Police say the drugs would likely have had a value to organised crime of around £250,00, but if cut and sold in the UK could have had a potential street value in excess of £700,000.

NCA senior investigating officer Darren Barr said: "Heathrow Airport provided invaluable assistance in this operation, and working with partners such as the MPS, Border Force and the Heathrow authorities we are determined to target those who may be involved in criminality at the airport.

"Corruption threatens the security of the UK border and the public at large which is why we see it as a priority."