Police have still not provided an update on the £42 million haul of cocaine that washed up on beaches across Cardigan Bay.

On the morning of Saturday, 1 October, a potentially historic haul of suspected cocaine washed up in packages on Tanybwlch beach in Aberystwyth.

Several others then washed up along the coast line in places like Tywyn – but it is still not known how many and in which locations.

The National Crime Agency – the UK’s FBI – responded to the Cambrian News’ questions last week.

We asked whether any more information was available about the substances, where the packages could have come from and who might be responsible.

An NCA spokesperson responded: “No further update for you at present.”

But the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime provided some more context.

A spokesperson said: “The most important modality for trafficking into Western and Central Europe is containerized trade to ports in the North (Belgium, Netherlands, Germany) and the South (notably Spain).

“Some of this reaches the UK, especially via ro-ro freight from the northern countries. While this appears to be the main entry channel into the UK, there are some indications that smaller vessels may also approach Ireland and the UK from the west, bringing in cocaine trafficked across the Atlantic.

“Sometimes drugs may be stored in floating packages, or under water, for later retrieval.

“Drugs are also sometimes transported in manned or unmanned underwater vehicles, as well as attached to the hull of vessels. Drugs being transported on vessels are also sometimes jettisoned in cases when the crew suspects that law enforcement is likely to intervene.

“All of these situations may lead to drugs washing up on shores."