Eleven criminals, including three from Essex, have been convicted after a failed attempt to smuggle £40 million worth of cocaine. The plan was to transport 500kg of the drug by boat, but it all went south when a container ship sailed past their location, causing them to lose track of the drugs.
David Paterson, 49, from Haslar Marina in Portsmouth, was instructed via WhatsApp by accomplice Lewis Watts, 37, from Tilbury. When the trackers failed, Paterson returned empty-handed. The next day, a new crew led by Adil Nolan, 40, from Liverpool, managed to recover 16 bales of cocaine and were promptly cornered by law enforcement at Medmerry Beach in West Sussex.
Daniel Jamieson, 41, from Essex, and Sam Brown, 33, from Liverpool, were the bosses. Jamieson bought a maritime business under a false name to get an RHIB for the job. Lewis Watts was Jamieson’s right-hand man, handling logistics and funds. Adil Nolan skippered the boat that retrieved the drugs.
Jules Harriman, NCA senior investigating officer, said: “This seizure represents a serious loss for the crime group and we’ve prevented these toxic drugs from reaching UK streets.” Sentencing is set for November 5th and 6th.