Agents seize more than two tonnes of cocaine

Published date12 September 2021
Publication titleSunday Sun
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said an operation involving its personnel as well as the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Border Force arrested the British man from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, and five Nicaraguans aboard a Jamaican-flagged yacht 80 miles out to sea.

Border Force Maritime Command's 42-metre cutter Searcher and 19-metre coastal patrol vessel Alert had covertly identified and monitored luxury yacht Kahu's movements.

Kahu, which was sailing from the Caribbean, was intercepted and boarded by specialist highly-skilled Border Force and NCA officers in international waters north of Guernsey.

The yacht was then escorted back to an undisclosed location on the UK mainland where a team carried out a deep rummage search and discovered the enormous haul of Class A drugs.

The men, whose ages range from 24 to 49, were arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking and remain in custody awaiting interviews, the NCA added in its statement.

NCA deputy director Matt Horne said: "There's no doubt these drugs would have been sold on into communities across the UK in such ways as County Lines fuelling more crime and misery.

"Organised crime groups (OCG) are motivated by money.

"The deprivation of these drugs will smash a hole in the OCG's plans and ability to operate.

"Also, the arrests of the men transporting the drugs means the crime group has lost trusted offenders who would have been key to their operation.

"We continue to work with partners at home...

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