Five Brit Men Nabbed After 1 Tonne of Cocaine Found on Yacht
Five British men have been arrested after a massive haul of cocaine was uncovered on a yacht sailing from the Caribbean to Europe. The stash, weighing a staggering one tonne, was seized from the sailing vessel SY Windwhisper in the mid-Atlantic on June 13, 2021.
Spanish Customs Snag Yacht Crew Mid-Atlantic
The Spanish Customs Service intercepted the yacht during a joint operation with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA). Three crew members, aged 29, 46, and 70, were arrested on board. Two more men linked to the vessel, aged 38 and 41, were later detained by Spanish officers in the Costa del Sol.
All five suspects remain in custody, charged with drug trafficking offences.
Big Bust in Ongoing International Drug Probe
The arrests are part of a larger investigation targeting an international drug trafficking ring. So far, the probe has led to the seizure of 1.6 tonnes of hashish, 45,000 Euros in cash, and four sailing vessels. Several suspects have also been arrested across Spain in connection with the operation.
The ringleader, a former Royal Navy officer now living in southern Spain, was among the previously detained. Known to police for ties to organised crime in the UK and Ukraine, he is believed to have trained the yacht crew and operated multiple companies that bought, sold, and rented boats used for smuggling drugs.
£80 Million Worth of Cocaine Off UK Streets
“This is a huge haul of cocaine with an estimated street value of more than £80 million. I have no doubt the drugs on board were destined for the streets of the UK, so this seizure is a significant result,” said Dave Hucker, Head of European Operations for the NCA International.
“We know that the criminal trade in drugs is driven by financial gain, and the loss of the profit that would have been made from these drugs will have a major impact on the crime groups involved.
“We continue to work with our international law enforcement partners to identify those responsible for supplying class A drugs to the UK, and will do all we can to disrupt their supply chains.”
In the last year alone, the NCA has helped seize or restrain over £112 million and 145 tonnes of drugs worldwide, striking a serious blow to drug trafficking networks.
