A gangster who claimed he could smuggle a tonne of cocaine with ‘zero f***ing risk’ was arrested after police chased his gang over the sea for 28 miles.
The cocaine cowboys were spotted on the horizon by Border Force loading packages from a bigger boat.
The drug syndicate tried to outrun them in a high-speed boat chase while dumping huge packages of Class A drugs worth millions as they sped along the Cornish coast for an hour.
With nowhere left to sail and cornered by Border Force the Narco pirates stranded their speedboats on Gwynver Beach, Penzance on September 13, 2024.
The dramatic landing was filmed by confused sunbathers and dogwalkers as the group try to split up and disperse with police on their tail.
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The pirates were quickly detained by Border Force officers who chased them on foot and arrested them.
Officers recovered six large bales containing 230kg of high-purity cocaine after crew members desperately threw packages overboard.
All seven men initially denied their crimes.
Audio messages later revealed Alex Fowlie bragging he could move ‘one tonne’ and that there was ‘zero f*cking risk’.
Tabora Baca even claimed to be a tourist who had accepted an invitation from two strangers to go fishing.
But officers recovered messages from his phone in which he discussed the group’s plans and shared a photo of the cocaine onboard the RHIB.
NCA Senior Investigating Officer, Barry Vinall, said: ‘These men didn’t care about the misery cocaine causes, they just wanted to make a profit.
‘Cocaine is one of the most harmful illegal drugs in the UK, linked to thousands of deaths and fuelling violent crime that wrecks communities and lives.
‘Working together, Border Force stopped cocaine worth millions from making it onto UK streets and the National Crime Agency ensured that the group behind its importation faced justice.’
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.’
Peter Williams and Bobbie Pearce were handed hefty sentences at Truro Crown Court today (Thursday, August 21) — 16 years and nine months and 15 years and four months respectively.
It follows the earlier jailing of four of their accomplices for more than 82 years combined.
Scott Johnston, 38, of Havant, and Edwin Yahir Tabora Baca, 33, of Barcelona, Spain, were sentenced to 24 years and 17 years seven months respectively.
Michael May, 47, of Brentwood, and Terry Willis, 44, of Chelmsford, helped organise the £18.4m haul and received 19 years and 21 years eight months.
Williams, 43, of Havant, and Pearce, 29, of Brentwood, faced justice today. The final gang member, Alex Fowlie, 35, of Chichester, will be sentenced on September 5.
