Eleven members of an organised crime group have been convicted after plotting to recover half a tonne of cocaine worth an estimated £40 million from the sea off the south coast of England. The sophisticated operation involved 500kg of cocaine being dropped into international waters from a container ship before being collected by boat around 40 nautical miles south of The Needles, west of the Isle of Wight. The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the drugs had been packaged in waterproof bundles fitted with GPS tracking devices, although the gang almost lost the consignment when the trackers failed.
Maritime Operation Planned in Secret
Investigators said David Paterson, 49, sailed from Haslar Marina in Portsmouth in August 2024 to recover the cocaine before it was transferred using a rigid-hulled inflatable boat. The NCA said David Jamieson, from Essex, posed as a legitimate businessman and purchased a maritime company to obtain access to a suitable vessel for the operation. Lewis Watts, also from Essex, helped coordinate the conspiracy by sourcing specialist equipment, arranging landing locations and managing finances. Both men were convicted of conspiring to smuggle cocaine.
Eleven Convicted
Also convicted of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine were:
- Jason Brown, from Liverpool
- Harry Kennedy, from Liverpool
Adil Nolan, of Fazakerley, Liverpool, admitted helping recover the cocaine from the sea. Five others involved in the landing operation at Medmerry Beach were also convicted. Charlotte Blenman, 34, of Bournemouth, was cleared of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine but convicted of assisting an organised crime group. 
Roy Harmer, Neil Pinchbeck, Thomas Stewart and Ricky Platt also admitted assisting an organised crime group.
Sentencing Dates Set
Those convicted of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine are due to be sentenced on 5 November, while those convicted of assisting an organised crime group will be sentenced on 6 November.
NCA: ‘A Serious Loss for Organised Crime’
Senior NCA investigating officer Jules Harriman said the convictions represented a major success against organised crime. He said:
“This is a serious loss for the organised crime group.
“We’ve prevented these toxic drugs from reaching UK streets where they poison people’s lives.”
Multi-Agency Investigation
The investigation was supported by Border Force, Merseyside Police, West Mercia Police, Hampshire Police and Sussex Police. The convictions come as the National Crime Agency releases a bonus episode of its Underworld podcast, examining how organised crime groups are increasingly using sophisticated maritime operations and concealment methods to smuggle cocaine into the UK.
