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Cocaine worth £37m seized from inflatable off coast

National Crime Agency A boat found with packages off the Suffolk coastNational Crime Agency
The National Crime Agency has seized millions of pounds of cocaine from a boat found off the coast south of Lowestoft

Two men have been charged after £37m worth of cocaine was seized from a boat off the Suffolk coast.

The National Crime Agency investigated after a rigid hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) was intercepted near Benacre Broad on Monday.

After a Border Force cutter moved in, the boat initially failed to stop before a man was seen jumping from the vessel and swimming towards the beach.

The two men have been charged with drugs offences.

National Crime Agency Packages on a boat off the Suffolk coastNational Crime Agency
Some of the packages which were seized by the National Crime Agency after they were found on a boat off the Suffolk coast

The boat was successfully stopped and seized before being searched by NCA officers who found 350kg of cocaine hidden under tarpaulin.

Investigators believe the boat had travelled out to sea where it had met a larger ship and collected the haul of drugs.

Bruce Knowles, 55, of Dereham, Norfolk, and Ferhat Gumrukguoglu, 31, from the Netherlands, have been charged with importing a controlled drug.

Both defendants have appeared at Norwich Magistrates' Court and are next due to appear at Ipswich Crown Court on 23 July.

Neither have entered pleas yet.

Paul Orchard, from the NCA, said: "This is a very significant seizure of cocaine and will be a huge loss for the organised crime group involved in smuggling it into the UK.

“With thanks to our partners in Border Force, we have been able to remove these dangerous drugs from the market before they reached the streets of the UK, where they would undoubtedly have fuelled further crime and exploitation.

“This seizure is a great example of joint working to disrupt criminal activity and protect the public from serious and organised crime.

“Our investigation into this importation continues.”

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