Yacht ‘smuggling £60m of cocaine into UK’ seized off Welsh coast

Six people arrested after yacht intercepted near Fishguard

Cocaine worth up to £60m has been found on a yacht in Wales, in what is believed to be one of the largest hauls of the drug in UK history.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said 250kg of cocaine had so far been recovered, but investigators still searching the boat believe that up to 750kg could be on board.

The yacht was intercepted by a Border Force cutter half a mile off the Welsh coast on Tuesday.

It was escorted to the port of Fishguard and six people have so far been arrested.

The NCA said the pleasure boat, Sy Atrevido, had been identified as carrying “a large drugs shipment to the UK from South America”.

Officers discovered numerous packages containing powdered cocaine, which had been distributed throughout the vessel.

Footage showed investigators, wearing protective suits, taking book-sized packages out of a cupboard and loading them into evidence bags.

The NCA said the quantity found so far would have a wholesale value to criminals of around £8m and a potential street value of £20m, reaching £60m if 750kg is recovered.

Two men, aged 53 and 41, were arrested on board the vessel and remain in custody for questioning.

Three men, aged 23, 31 and 47, and a woman, aged 30, were arrested in Liverpool and Loughborough. They have been released on bail until late September.

Craig Naylor, the NCA’s deputy director of investigations, said: “This is a substantial seizure of cocaine, which would have generated tens of millions of pounds in criminal profits.

“NCA officers on the frontline play a vital role in tackling the serious and organised criminals that undermine the safety and security of our nation.

“These drugs were intended for sale on UK streets, where they will have fuelled considerable violence and exploitation. I’d like to thank all those involved in preventing them from reaching their destination.”

The operation came after five men were jailed over a separate plot to smuggle cocaine worth £112m from South America into the UK on a yacht.

The yacht was seized off the coast of Wales on Tuesday (NCA)

They were convicted of trying to import 1.4 tonnes of cocaine, which had been hidden in a 60ft vessel that was intercepted off Cornwall last August.

Steve Whitton, deputy director of the Border Force’s Maritime Command, said: “This is a major seizure and a testament to the multi-agency approach we take to secure the UK’s border and territorial waters.

“Working together, we will continue to do all we can to put the organised crime groups involved in drug smuggling before the courts.”