Cocaine worth £18.4m ‘dumped off Cornish coast’

Cocaine with an estimated street value of £18.4m was dumped into the sea off the Cornish coast during a smuggling operation, a jury at Truro Crown Court has heard.

Six watertight bales were recovered from the sea, but about 150kg of cocaine remains unaccounted for, the court heard.

The prosecution has concluded its case against two men, Scott Johnston, 37, from Havant, Hampshire, and Michael May, 47, from Essex, who both deny smuggling cocaine into the UK.

Five other individuals involved in the smuggling conspiracy have already pleaded guilty, the jury was told.

Jurors were presented with a series of agreed facts, including details of how 230 blocks of high-purity cocaine were thrown overboard from a rigid inflatable boat as it was intercepted by a National Crime Agency vessel near Gwyner Beach, Sennen, in September 2024.

According to the prosecution, the cocaine originated in South America and was transferred from a cargo ship in the English Channel to a smaller boat.

The bales, equipped with GPS trackers and Apple AirTags, were then collected and transported towards the Cornish coast, where they were to be loaded into a waiting van, the court heard.

Mr Johnston was one of three men aboard the RIB who were arrested upon landing, the jury heard.

Mr May, identified as the van driver, was arrested months later at his home in Essex, the court heard.

Both men remained silent during police interviews, with Mr Johnston stating only that he had “no involvement of any sort of trafficking drugs”.

A Garmin chart plotter and three knives were also found on the RIB.

The defence is expected to begin presenting its case next week.

The trial continues.