Five Crooks Jailed After £112 Million Cocaine Haul Intercepted on Yacht
Five men have been found guilty of trying to smuggle 1.4 tonnes of cocaine worth a staggering £112 million into the UK. The drugs were stashed aboard a 60ft catamaran sailing from Suriname, South America.
Massive Cocaine Bust off Cornwall Coast
The Border Force cutter HMC Vigilant intercepted the yacht, SY Nomad, near Newlyn Harbour, Cornwall, on August 29, 2018. The vessel was travelling from Suriname, just south of Venezuela. Inside locked storage containers, officers uncovered over 1,400 kilos of cocaine – with an estimated wholesale value of nearly £45 million.
Three men aboard the yacht – Estonian Richard Must (49), Latvian Voldermars Gailis (21), and Dutch national Raymond Dijkstra (27) – were immediately arrested.
UK Nationals Nigel Clark and Dean Waters Caught in the Crosshairs
Nigel Clark (64) and Dean Waters (59), both UK nationals living in Spain, were nabbed days later after being monitored by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers. Waters bought a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB), dubbed Brenda’s Pet, and orchestrated its transport to the UK, towing it from southampton/" title="Southampton" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Southampton towards Cornwall.
Waters was spotted picking up high-tech gear in Dorset, including GPS devices, thermal cameras, and repair kits. Authorities believe the RHIB was meant to rendezvous with SY Nomad at sea to transfer the drugs stealthily onto British shores.
The Crime Network Brought Down
- Clark and Waters were found guilty after a five-week trial at Bristol Crown Court.
- Must and Gailis had previously pleaded guilty, while Dijkstra was convicted alongside the UK duo.
- All faced charges of conspiring to import and conceal cocaine on the yacht, resulting in immediate remand.
“Clark and Waters, both with prior drug trafficking convictions, meticulously planned every part of this smuggling attempt,” said NCA Senior Investigating Officer Ty Surgeon.
“This huge cocaine seizure disrupts organised crime and sends a clear message to anyone thinking of smuggling drugs into the UK.”
Authorities Praise International Teamwork
The operation was a joint effort involving the NCA, Border Force, Devon and Cornwall Police, the Maritime Analysis & Operations Centre (Narcotics), the Irish Navy, and the Irish Air Corps.
NCA Deputy Director Matt Horne added: “This intelligence-led takedown hit organised criminals hard, confiscating a drug haul worth £112 million that could have fuelled violent crime across the UK.”
Gordon Scarratt, Head of Border Force Maritime, said: “Our maritime teams played a key role, proving that intelligence sharing and coastal patrols are vital in stopping dangerous drugs from reaching UK streets.”
The five men remain behind bars and face sentencing on Tuesday, 26 March at Bristol Crown Court.
