On 26 November 1983, six armed men break into the Brink's-Mat security depot, stumbling across gold bullion worth £26m.
Six armed men have stolen £26m worth of gold bullion from the Brink's-Mat security depot near London's Heathrow Airport. First on the scene are Flying Squad detectives DI Nicki Jennings and DI Tony Brightwell. Back at Scotland Yard however, Flying Squad are not taking the case. Instead, long serving DCI Brian Boyce arrives from counter-terrorism to take charge of the investigation.Unable to dispose of the bullion, robbery ringleader Micky McAvoy turns to Kenneth Noye, a businessman hiding a criminal sideline. Noye enlists Bristol gold merchant John Palmer to help disguise the gold and sell it back into the market.Meanwhile, South London wheeler dealer Gordon Parry and the respected establishment solicitor Edwyn Cooper, set about laundering the proceeds from the stolen gold.
A chain is set up to smelt the stolen Brink's-Mat gold, sell it back into the market and launder the profits. The police investigation leads them to Kent and Kenneth Noye.
The police set up surveillance on Noye and are led to Palmer and more of the gold chain suspects. The resulting raids end in tragedy in Noye's garden.
In Tenerife, Palmer learns he is wanted by the police. Cooper and Parry's plan to move cash across Europe comes unstuck. Noye's murder trial comes to a dramatic conclusion.
Palmer is caught after attempting to escape to Brazil. The police learn that Cooper and Parry have been laundering the Brink's-Mat millions. Cooper is arrested, but Parry escapes.
Palmer is found not guilty. Parry is arrested in Spain. Noye and his associates are convicted, but the police realise the gold was split after the robbery.
The police chase the other half of the stolen Brink's-Mat gold when it resurfaces. In Tenerife, John Palmer's successful timeshare business starts to attract unwanted attention.
The proceeds from the stolen Brink's-Mat gold are laundered through growing international criminal networks. The police pick up the trail as their investigation spreads overseas.
As pressure builds on the criminals laundering the proceeds of the stolen Brink's-Mat gold, the police carry out surveillance on their targets and pursue suspects around the world.
The British police join forces with the DEA to take down the international money laundering operation. In Tenerife, John Palmer has an unwelcome visitor as the pressure builds.
Old and new Brink's-Mat criminals are in hiding around the world. As the police and criminal rivals close in on all fronts, the chase begins. Boyce meets an old foe.
Brian Boyce retires, but the work continues. In Britain and America, the Brink's-Mat criminals face their day in court. In Spain, a dangerous manhunt is launched.
