Boat carrying a tonne of cocaine intercepted off Cornwall coast

Boat carrying a tonne of cocaine intercepted off Cornwall coast

National Crime Agency (NCA) officers have arrested four men and seized approximately one tonne of cocaine after a fishing boat was stopped at sea off the coast of Newquay, Cornwall.

Border Force officers intercepted the vesselon Friday afternoon (13 September) and located the drugs haul.

The four men on board were arrested on suspicion of importing class A drugs and conveyed to police custody to be questioned by NCA investigators.

Derek Evans, NCA Branch Commander, said: "This is a significant amount of cocaine that will represent a huge loss for the organised crime group that attempted to import it into the UK.

"With our partners at Border Force and the Joint Maritime Security Centre, we have successfully removed this harmful drug consignment from the criminal marketplace.

"Its onward supply would have fuelled exploitation through county lines activity as well as serious violence and knife crime.

"Our investigation into this importation continues."

14 September 2024