The National Crime Agency says eleven people have been convicted over an attempt to smuggle a 500kg consignment of cocaine—worth about £40m—dropped from a container ship into waters south of the Isle of Wight. David Paterson initially failed to recover the tracker-fitted waterproof bundles, but Adil Nolan recovered 16 bales the following day and was intercepted at Medmerry Beach. Three defendants were convicted at trial, one woman was found guilty of assisting an organised crime group, and seven others had already admitted involvement. Sentencing is due in November.
Eleven Convicted in £40m 'Sea-Drop' Cocaine Plot After Recovery at Medmerry Beach
David Paterson sailed out to retrieve the drugs guided by Lewis Watts, but their attempt failed [NCA]
Eleven people have been convicted for their roles in an organised plot to smuggle around £40 million worth of cocaine into the UK after waterproof, tracker-fitted bundles were dropped into the sea from a container ship.
(Clockwise from top left) Sam Brown, Adil Nolan, Daniel Jamieson and Harry Kennedy have been convicted of conspiring to smuggle cocaine [NCA]
What Happened
On 17 August 2024, David Paterson, 49, set out from Haslar Marina, Portsmouth, into international waters off the Isle of Wight to recover a 500kg consignment of cocaine. The bundles, each fitted with a tracker, had been released by an accomplice crew on a passing container vessel approximately 40 nautical miles south of the Needles.
Charlotte Blenman, Thomas Stewart, and Roy Harmer were convicted of assisting an organised crime group [NCA]
Paterson failed to recover the shipment when the container ship passed his position and the trackers failed to transmit. The following day the trackers came back online and the organised group "scrambled a new crew." Adil Nolan set out from Eastbourne Harbour, recovered 16 bales of cocaine (estimated purity about 85%) and sailed to Medmerry Beach near Selsey, West Sussex, where law enforcement officers were waiting.
Neil Pinchbeck and Ricky Platt also assisted the group in the plot [NCA]
Convictions And Charges
At a trial at Portsmouth Crown Court, three defendants were found guilty of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine and one woman was convicted of assisting an organised crime group; seven others had previously admitted their roles. Sentencing is scheduled for November.
The cocaine, with a street value of £40m, was in waterproof bundles, each fitted with a tracker [NCA]
Found guilty of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine following trial: Daniel Jamieson (Heath Road, Ramsden Heath, Essex); Lewis Watts (Toronto Road, Tilbury, Essex); and David Paterson (Viking Way, Peterhead, near Aberdeen).
Previously admitting the same charge: Sam Brown, 33, and Harry Kennedy, 38, both of Kirkdale, Liverpool; and Adil Nolan of Fazakerley, Liverpool.
Pleading guilty to assisting an organised crime group: Roy Harmer, 46 (Bournemouth); Neil Pinchbeck, 43 (Poole); Thomas Stewart, 40 (Peterborough); and Ricky Platt, 49 (Boscombe, Dorset). Charlotte Blenman, 34 (Boscombe), was cleared of conspiracy but convicted of assisting the organised crime group.
Investigation And Impact
The National Crime Agency (NCA) led the operation, working with Merseyside Police, West Mercia Police, Hampshire Police and Sussex Police. Jules Harriman, NCA senior investigating officer, described the seizure as a "large seizure" and a serious loss to the crime group.
"Their profits can no longer be ploughed back into further offending and we've prevented these toxic drugs from reaching UK streets where they poison people's lives," said Ms Harriman.
The recovered cocaine had an estimated street value of about £40 million. Authorities said the operation prevented a significant shipment of Class A drugs from being redistributed to organised crime groups across the country.
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