Cornwall cocaine seizure: Two men charged in connection with huge drugs haul from yacht

Dutch nationals remanded in custody after class As with street value worth hundreds of millions discovered

Two men have appeared in court after two tonnes of cocaine – with a street value worth hundreds of millions of pounds – was seized from a yacht off the Cornish coast.

Dutch nationals Maarten Peter Pieterse, 59, and Emile Adriaan Jeroen Schoemaker, 44, appeared before Bristol Magistrates Court on Saturday.

The pair were arrested after officers from the National Crime Agency and UK Border Force intercepted the boat on Friday. The sheer quantity of drugs discovered on board made it one of the largest ever seizures made in the UK.

Newlyn Harbour– one of the UK’s biggest fishing ports – was closed for several hours while the vessel was escorted the 120 miles into shore and then searched.

The two men – neither of who are understood to live in the UK – are now charged with being “concerned in the carrying or concealing of controlled drug of Class A, namely cocaine, on the SY Marcia knowing or having reasonable grounds to suspect that the drug was intended to be imported".

Pieterse did not enter a plea, while Schoemaker pleaded not guilty. They were both remanded in custody and will appear at Bristol Crown Court on 20 August.

Andy Quinn, the NCA’s regional head of investigations, said in a statement: "This is a huge haul of class A drugs, one of the largest seizures of class A ever in the UK, and with a potential street value likely to be in the hundreds of millions.

“While the end destination is unclear at this stage, I’ve no doubt that this was destined for the European market. At least a proportion of this cocaine would have ended up here in the UK, sold by drugs gangs who are also involved in intimidation, exploitation and violence.

“This seizure will be a major hit to the international criminal networks involved.”