More drugs have been found washed up on a British beach just weeks after suspected cocaine worth around £200,000 was found by a member of the public on the Isle of Wight.
Police were called to Goring, Sussex, this morning, October 23, after reports of suspected drugs washing up on the beach.
The packages have been taken for forensic testing to confirm along with substances found in other parts of Sussex including Selsey on October 19, Middleton and Felpham on October 13 and Ferring on October 12.
An investigation is ongoing alongside partner agencies to find the source of the substances.
Police were called to Goring, Sussex, this morning, October 23, after reports of suspected drugs. Pictured, stock photo of Goring beach
Hundreds of kilos of what is thought to be cocaine was discovered in Dorset, described as a ‘major hit’ for criminal gangs
Hundreds of kilos of powder were discovered in the sea off the St Aldhelm’s Point and Durdle Door areas of Dorset
It comes after a large parcel of what is believed to be cocaine was found washed up on the Isle of Wight.
Dogwalker Kayt Wolfe discovered an oblong, black canvas, zip-up bag measuring about 4ft by 3ft, that she first assumed was a cushion, thrown or blown off a passing boat.
However, as it was too heavy to drag off the sands — and being an avid watcher of dark TV crime dramas — she quickly guessed that it contained a consignment of drugs washed up by the autumn tide.
Her suspicion grew when she unzipped the bag. Inside were dozens of tightly wrapped packages the size of hardback novels.
Each one weighed about a kilo and was labelled with just one cryptic word or acronym — POPI — printed in black capitals.
Several men have been arrested in connection with the drugs as well as others which were found floating in the sea off Durdle Door in Dorset.
Speaking about the drugs found on the the beaches of Goring-by-Sea, Selsey, Middleton, Felpham and Ferring, a Sussex Police spokesperson said: ‘Police were called to Goring today following reports of suspected drugs washing up on the beach.
‘The packages will be taken for forensic testing along with the substances which were found in Selsey on October 19, Middleton and Felpham on October 13 and Ferring on October 12.
Writer David Jones with what is believed to be cocaine at Brightstone on the Isle of Wight
‘An investigation is ongoing alongside partner agencies to find the source of the substances.
‘The public are reminded of the dangers of illegal drugs and urged not to touch or attempt to remove them. Please report any sightings to police by calling 999.’
Three men were arrested and a fishing boat seized by armed police following the incident off the Isle of Wight which involved assistance from the crew of an RNLI lifeboat two weeks ago.
The trio arrested by police on suspicion of being involved in drugs supply, were said to be from Windsor, Berkshire, Gosport and Portsmouth, Hampshire.
Thought to originate from South America, the huge mass of powder was discovered off St Aldhelm’s Point and Durdle Door (pictured) in Dorset
It was not yet clear whether the seizure of the fishing boat and the arrests were connected to the previous weekend’s discovery of millions of pounds worth of cocaine, some of which washed up on an Isle of Wight beach.
The fishing boat incident happened at Yarmouth Harbour on the Isle of Wight.
The RNLI had assisted the fishing boat and brought it into the harbour where the police were called.
The boat was sealed off by armed police while moored on a pontoon.
A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said that three men were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.
Those arrested were a 40-year-old man from Windsor, a 54-year-old man from Gosport and a 40-year-old man from Portsmouth.
A spokesman for the force said that detectives were working to establish the circumstances surrounding the use of the boat.