A gang of drug smugglers who tried to flood the UK with £18.4 million worth of cocaine have been jailed for a total of more than 82 years – after a dramatic 28-mile sea chase ended with their boat smashing into a Cornish beach.
Scott Johnston, 38, from Havant, and Edwin Yahir Tabora Baca, 33, from Barcelona led the high-stakes operation but were caught red-handed when their rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) ran aground after fleeing pursuing officers at Gwynver Beach, Penzance last September.
They were jailed today at Truro Crown Court, with Johnston getting 24 years and Tabora Baca 17 years and 7 months.
Michael May, 47, from Brentwood, and Terry Willis, 44, from Chelmsford, helped mastermind the collection of the haul. They’ll be spending 19 years and 21 years 8 months behind bars respectively.
A further two men – Peter Williams, 43, from Havant, and Bobbie Pearce, 29, from Brentwood – are to be sentenced on August 21, while Alex Fowlie, 35, from Chichester will be sentenced on September 5.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) launched its probe after Johnston, Williams, and Tabora Baca were busted when their drug-packed inflatable boat crash-landed during the failed getaway on 13 September 2024.
The men had been pursued for around an hour by Border Force officers who had spotted their RHIB on the horizon while carrying out an operation off the coast of Newquay, Cornwall.
Officers suspected the boat had drugs on board, collected from a larger ship at sea, and tried to intercept the RHIB.
As the officers approached the boat, it sped off and a chase unfolded during which the RHIB’s crew threw packages into the water.
After the RHIB ran aground, the men ran off but were quickly caught by Border Force officers who chased them on foot and arrested them.
Six large bales were recovered from the sea, containing around 230kg of powder which specialist analysts identified as high-purity cocaine.
All seven men initially denied their crimes. Tabora Baca even claimed to be a tourist who had accepted an invitation from two strangers – Williams and Johnston – to go fishing.
However officers recovered messages from his phone in which he discussed the group’s plans and shared a photo of the cocaine onboard the RHIB.
Faced with the evidence against them, five of the men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import Class A drugs, including Willis who also pleaded guilty to money laundering and possession of firearm, relating to a revolver and ammunition found at his home address by NCA officers, and for which he was sentenced today.
May and Johnston went to trial and were found guilty of conspiracy to import Class A drugs on 23 June.
NCA Senior Investigating Officer, Barry Vinall, said: “These are substantial sentences for four men who 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 said: "It is the job of Border Force to protecting our border and keeping 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."