Six armed men steal £26m worth of gold from the Brink's-Mat security depot and set about trying to dispose of the bullion. DCI Brian Boyce sets up a Task Force to investigate.

A Gold 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 police raids to arrest the Gold Chain ends 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 finally 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, while Parry is arrested in Spain. Noye and his associates are convicted, but the police realise the gold was split after the robbery. Their work must continue.