Catamaran searched in Cornwall found to contain 'significant quantity of cocaine'

Officials question suspects and while specialist team searches boat

Five men have been arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling after a border force vessel intercepted a catamaran carrying a “significant quantity” of cocaine off the south west coast of Cornwall.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has officials escorted the vessel into Newlyn harbour, near Penzance, before agents searched the vessel and the five men were questioned.

Agency employees were supported by border force maritime and deep rummage specialists, who are trained to find contraband on large vessels, the NCA said in a statement.

Agency employees were supported by border force maritime and deep rummage specialists, who are trained to find contraband, the NCA said (NCA)

The operation comes six weeks after hundreds of parcels stuffed with drugs weighing 1.6 tonnes in total were seized from a yacht in the same port. The seizure is thought to be the second largest ever made in the UK.

​Maarten Peter Pieterse, 59, and Emile Adriaan Jeroen Schoemaker, 44, appeared in court in July accused of being “knowingly concerned in the carrying or concealing of controlled drug of class A, namely cocaine”.

On Thursday, a large blue tarpaulin was being used to partially cover one of the boats on the quay, according to photographs from the scene reported by Cornwall Live.

An NCA spokesperson said: “As part of an National Crime Agency-led operation, the Border Force cutter HMC Vigilant intercepted a catamaran off the south west coast of Cornwall and escorted the vessel into Newlyn harbour this morning (Thursday 30 August).

“The investigation is ongoing and a significant quantity of cocaine has been removed from the boat. NCA and Border Force officers, supported by Devon and Cornwall Police, remain at the scene as searches continue.

“Five men have been arrested for drug trafficking offences and are now being questioned by NCA officers."