‘I played no part in £200m yacht drug plot’

A 56-YEAR-OLD grandmother accused of paying for a yacht used in a drug smuggling plot has said she did not know her husband wanted the boat to import cocaine.

Dawne Powell, from Guiseley, Leeds, told Leeds Crown Court she was not involved in the operation to smuggle cocaine £200m into the UK. She said she believed money used to buy two boats involved in the plot came from her husband Stephen Powell’s poker winnings.

The court heard two boats were used in the scheme: the Makayabella, used to bring the drugs across the Atlantic from Venezuela; and the Sea Breeze, harboured in Wales with the intention of meeting the Makayabella and transferring the drugs.

The jury has been told that the Makayabella was seized by the Irish Navy on September 23 last year.

It had 1,025 2.2lb (1kg) blocks of cocaine contained in 41 packages, worth £164m.

Stephen Powell bought the £100,000 Makayabella in his name, but it was paid for in four instalments from a bank account in the sole name of his wife, the court heard.

Dawne Powell also paid for flights to St Lucia for her husband and his father, John Powell, insurance for the Makayabella and a satellite phone for the yacht, the jury was told.

Giving evidence, Powell said she did not take part in the conspiracy to import cocaine and was “absolutely not” knowingly involved in paying for the items to be used in the plot.

Powell is on trial with James Hill, 30, from Ilkley, West Yorkshire. Both deny conspiracy to import cocaine. Powell also denies money laundering.

Six people have all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine, the court has heard.

The trial continues.