The Story

The investigation takes us to a $10 million home in a leafy city suburb.Back home in Melbourne, Stephen Drill picks up a money trail leading right past his front door.

Undercover in a gleaming world where nobody asks questions. David Collins follows the money trail through Dubai’s crowded gold souk to its luxurious office blocks.

Drug money is carried out of the UK in suitcases carried by passengers travelling in luxury.A cash mule tells David Collins about the brazen operation used to smuggle millions to Dubai.This episode contains descriptions of suicidal thoughts. If you or someone you know has been affected by the issues raised, the following organisations can help:Samaritans in the UK  - 24-hour helpline - 116 123Lifeline in Australia - 24-hour helpline 13 11 14

On the streets of northern England where chaos reigns among those doing the selling. David Collins spends time in Merseyside, speaking to people working in the retail arm of the cocaine business.

Europe’s vast ports act as logistic hubs in a worldwide operation that relies on corruption and torture. In the Netherlands, Fiona Hamilton reveals the industrial scale of the cocaine business - and how it always leads to violence.

As cocaine is smuggled out of South America it multiplies in value, driving people to extremes. Stephen Drill follows the trail to Mexico and uncovers how the numbers used by law enforcement do not add up.

Where people fight and die in the coca plantations. In Colombia, Stephen Drill discovers how the international cocaine business starts, and the cost paid by everyone it touches.

Between now and January 6th we will be playing the 2024 award-winning series, Cocaine Inc., from The Times, The Sunday Times and News Corp Australia. A brutal attack on an innocent young woman sends the reporters on a global investigation. David Collins visits Merseyside in northern England, where 26-year-old Elle Edwards was shot while celebrating Christmas Eve.

The number of people with food allergies in the UK has more than doubled since 2008, with more than 5,000 people a year hospitalised in England with anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. So what’s behind the increase and are we close to a cure? Find out more about The Times and The Sunday Times Christmas Appeal 2024Donate by calling 0151 286 1594 or by following this link.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests:Tom Whipple, Science Editor, The Times. Professor Sir Stephen Holgate, Professor of Immunopharmacology at the University of Southampton. Host: Manveen Rana.Read more:What to do if someone has an anaphylactic reactionNatasha died from her allergies — we do not want others to sufferPhoto: Getty images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com