Border cops sieze a TON of cocaine worth £80million from a boat off the South Coast of England
Three crew members, including the captain, were arrested during the drugs sting
MORE than a ton of cocaine worth £80 million has been recovered from a boat off the coast of England in one of the biggest drugs busts ever made in the UK.
Officers the British-registered converted fishing trawler off the coast of Falmouth, Cornwall where they discovered 50 bags of cocaine.
But after escorting the vessel, named The Bianca, to the shore, they found more than a ton of the class A drug onboard - with a staggering street value of £80 million.
Three crew members, including the captain, were arrested during the sting on Thursday and subsequently charged with importing cocaine.
Vessel owner and master, Irish national Michael McDermott, 67, appeared at Bodmin Magistrates' Court today.
Alongside him were crew members Dutch national Gerald Van De Kooij, 26, and Brit David Pleasants, 57.
The three men were remanded in custody to appear at Bristol Crown Court in September.
Their boat was targeted as part of a joint operation by Border Force and National Crime Agency officers.
A witness who saw the raid happen said "We had no idea what was going on at first. The quayside was just full of navy police and border force.
"Now we know what £80 million worth of drugs looks like."
Border Force's Director of National Operations Mike Stepney said: "This is one of the most significant drugs seizures ever made in the UK and a testament to the multi-agency approach we adopt to secure the UK's border and territorial waters.
"By working closely with the NCA and our other national and international partners we were able to intercept this vessel before it could deliver its £80 million of cargo to the UK.
"This seizure is a fantastic example of the vital role our officers play in preventing drugs from reaching the UK and keeping our communities safe."
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Mark Harding of the NCA's Border Policing Command added: "A seizure on this scale is likely have a significant disruptive impact right along the supply chain, leaving criminals with large debts to be covered.
"And it will have knock on effects, disrupting further criminality that would have been funded by the profits of this venture."
Last year, London was named as the cocaine capital of Europe.
The operation was assisted by the National Maritime Information Centre and Devon & Cornwall Police. The NCA investigation continues.
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