Briton held in ‘£160m drug raid on yacht’

A BRITON was among six men charged after authorities found more than two tons of cocaine on board a luxury yacht.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the suspects have been charged with drug trafficking offences over the seizure 80 miles off the coast of Plymouth on Thursday evening.

It was estimated to be worth around £160million.

The men, who will appear at Plymouth magistrates court today, include Andrew Cole, 32, from Stockton-onTees, in County Durham.

Intercepted

Also in court are Nicaraguans Billy Downs, 49, Denson White-Morales, 34, Edwin Taylor-Morgan, 40, Brynie Sjogreen, 38, and Ryan Taylor, 42.

The NCA said the operation involved its personnel as well as Border Force and the Australian Federal Police.

Border Force Maritime Command’s 140ft cutter Searcher and 62ft coastal patrol vessel Alert had covertly monitored luxury yacht Kahu’s movements.

The boat, which was sailing from the Caribbean, was intercepted and boarded in international waters north of Guernsey.

It was then escorted back to an undisclosed location on the British mainland.