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| £80m of cocaine found on fishing trawler near Falmouth | £80m of cocaine found on fishing trawler near Falmouth |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than a tonne of cocaine with a street value of £80 million was recovered from a vessel off the English coast. | More than a tonne of cocaine with a street value of £80 million was recovered from a vessel off the English coast. |
| Officers from the National Crime Agency and the Border Force boarded the British-registered converted fishing trawler just south of Falmouth in Cornwall on Thursday. | Officers from the National Crime Agency and the Border Force boarded the British-registered converted fishing trawler just south of Falmouth in Cornwall on Thursday. |
| They discovered approximately 50 bags of the drug on the vessel, named Bianca. | |
| All three crew were charged with importing cocaine. | All three crew were charged with importing cocaine. |
| The owner of the vessel, Michael McDermott, 67, and the crew, Gerald Van De Kooij, 26, and David Pleasants, 57, were remanded in custody by Bodmin Magistrates' Court. | The owner of the vessel, Michael McDermott, 67, and the crew, Gerald Van De Kooij, 26, and David Pleasants, 57, were remanded in custody by Bodmin Magistrates' Court. |
| Their next hearing is at Bristol Crown Court on the 20 September. | Their next hearing is at Bristol Crown Court on the 20 September. |
| Mike Stepney, from the Border Force, said: "This is one of the most significant drugs seizures ever made in the UK. | Mike Stepney, from the Border Force, said: "This is one of the most significant drugs seizures ever made in the UK. |
| "By working closely with the NCA and other partners, we were able to intercept this vessel before it could deliver its £80 million cargo to the UK". | "By working closely with the NCA and other partners, we were able to intercept this vessel before it could deliver its £80 million cargo to the UK". |
| Mark Harding, of the National Crime Agency, added: "A seizure on this scale is likely have a significant disruptive impact right along the supply chain, leaving criminals with large debts to be covered. | Mark Harding, of the National Crime Agency, added: "A seizure on this scale is likely have a significant disruptive impact right along the supply chain, leaving criminals with large debts to be covered. |
| "And it will have knock on effects, disrupting further criminality that would have been funded by the profits of this venture." | "And it will have knock on effects, disrupting further criminality that would have been funded by the profits of this venture." |