A group of drug smugglers have been sentenced after they were chased for 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall before trying to escape on a beach in Penzance
A group of drug smugglers were caught red-handed by cops after a dramatic chase across a popular beach left sunbathers bewildered. Three of the seven men are now behind bars, with shocking footage showing the men escaping from the police on an inflatable boat which had £18.4m worth of drugs on board.
After being chased for 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall, they got to the shore in an attempt to flee while Border Force agents chased them through the beach in front of shocked holidaymakers.
The police eventually spread out and caught the drug gang on the shores of Gwynver Beach, Penzance on September 13, 2024.
The three men on the boat were identified as Edwin Yahir Tabora Baca, 33, of Barcelona and Scott Johnston, 38, and Peter Williams, 43 – both from Havant.
The trio were accused of collecting the drugs haul from a larger ship before attempting to bring it into the UK. Some of the cocaine was reportedly tossed into the sea.
In the end, six large packages were recovered, and it came to around 230kg of powder. According to analysts, this was high-purity cocaine.
Johnston was handed a 24-year prison sentence while Baca was sentenced to 17 years and seven months. The third, Williams, got the shortest sentence of the three with 16 years and nine months. There were also four other men arrested, who were waiting in Penzance for the hand delivery of cocaine.
Alex Fowlie, 35, of Chichester, was found responsible for purchasing the rigid-hulled inflatable boat. Michael May, 48, and Bobbie Pearce, 29 – both from Brentwood – and Terry Willis, 44, of Chelmsford were found to have helped organise the collection of the cocaine.
Willis was jailed for 21 years and eight months, May for 19 years and Pearce for 15 years and four months. The former also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and money laundering.
In a statement, the NCA Senior Investigating Officer, Barry Vinall, shed light on Fowler for his role in the smuggling plot.
He said: “Fowlie was a fixer. He purchased the boat used to collect the cocaine, and when officers foiled the group’s plot, Fowlie tried to find new crew to carry out another collection.
“Fowlie and his group were driven by greed but now they’re paying the price of trying to import one of the most harmful illegal drugs.”
Duncan Capps, Senior Director of Border Force Maritime, added: “It is the job of Border Force to protect our border and keep communities safe.
“Our officers were fantastic and displayed incredible skill during the 28-mile pursuit, despite the suspects’ attempts to get rid of evidence.
“Border Force will continue to work alongside the NCA to prevent dangerous drugs reaching our streets and will ensure criminals caught smuggling face the full force of the law.”
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