Six Men Nabbed in £160m Drug Haul 80 Miles Off UK Coast
Six men, including British national Andrew Cole, 32, from Stockton on Tees, and five Nicaraguans, have been charged with drug trafficking offences. The arrests came after a major bust 80 miles off the coast of Plymouth in a joint operation by the National Crime Agency (NCA), Australian Federal Police (AFP), and Border Force.
Luxury Yacht Kahu Used to Smuggle Massive Cocaine Cargo
The suspects were found aboard the Kahu, initially misreported as a luxury Jamaican-flagged yacht sailing from the Caribbean. After being escorted back to the UK mainland, authorities conducted an extensive search and uncovered a staggering haul of Class A drugs.
The six men, aged 24 to 49, remain in custody awaiting interviews. The extraordinary cocaine shipment is estimated to have a street value of around £160 million.
NCA and AFP Cooperation Cracks Down on Organised Crime
Matt Horne, NCA deputy director, said: “This is a massive haul of cocaine with an estimated street value of around £160m. 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.”
He added: “Organised crime groups are motivated by money. The deprivation of these drugs will smash a hole in the OCG’s plans and ability to operate. The arrests of the men transporting the drugs mean the crime group has lost trusted offenders who would have been key to their operation.”
The bust highlights the strength of international law enforcement partnerships. The AFP helped using intelligence from their Operation Ironside, a probe into the AnOm encrypted communications platform, crucial in dismantling the criminal network.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Lesa Gale said: “Operation Ironside has opened the door to unprecedented collaboration across law enforcement agencies around the globe. This result highlights the importance of the AFP’s partnership with the NCA to combat offshore transnational organised crime impacting both our countries.”
Crackdown to Protect UK Communities from Deadly Drugs
The NCA continues to work closely with Border Force and international partners like the AFP to keep the UK safe from the destructive Class A drug trade. This dramatic arrest sends a clear message to organised crime gangs: the authorities are watching, and they will act.
