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Customs officers discovered cocaine, said to be 70 per cent pure, as they were being sent through the post from Brazil

Customs officers discovered the drugs, said to be 70 per cent pure, as they were being sent through the post from Brazil.cocaine with an estimated street value of up to £400,000 destined for the streets of the West Midlands has been found in bottles of cosmetics. Customs officers discovered the drugs, said to be 70 per cent pure, as they were being sent through the post from Brazil.Devious drugs smugglers had used a chemical process to suspend the cocaine in the cosmetics in an attempt to get the drugs onto the region's streets.But suspicious officers decided to test the liquid when it arrived in two separate shipments during the past month.A tell-tale blue circle indicated the bottles actually contained the drugs.In total they found more than a kilo and a half of cocaine in one consignment with an estimated street value of around £80,000.The second consignment contained a further kilo of cocaine with a street value of more than £50,000.The cocaine had a purity of 70 per cent and once "cut" by drug dealers for sale on the streets would have doubled or even trebled in value.It is not the first time that Customs officers uncovered attempts to smuggle drugs in such a way but it is particularly expensive because drugs gangs also have to use a chemical process to get the drugs out of suspension.Lin Coxon, detectionmanager for HM Revenue & Customs, said: "We're working at the forefront in the fight to stop drugs entering the UK and reduce the associated harm to our communities."This latest seizure shows the skills and experience of our dedicated teams of officers in detecting this dangerous drug, despite the ever inventive methods used by drug smugglers."We are determined to disrupt organised drugs scams and our approach continues to be one of zero tolerance."No arrests have currently been made.

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