Two drug smugglers who tried to move tens of millions of pounds of cocaine into the UK using an inflatable boat have been jailed.
Bruce Knowles, 56, of Dereham, Norfolk, and Ferhat Gumrukguoglu, 32, from the Netherlands, were respectively sentenced to 17 years and three months in prison and 15 years during a hearing on Friday.
The pair were caught by Border Force near East Benacre Broads in Suffolk in June last year attempting to sneak £37 million of cocaine into the UK. Officers discovered 350kg of cocaine, with a high purity rate of 78 to 84 per cent, hidden under a tarpaulin in the boat’s hull.
It is believed the men retrieved the drugs from a larger vessel off the coast of France. Two months earlier, they had completed a “dry run”, the court heard.
In the June incident, the drug smugglers failed to stop for Border Force, with Gumrukguoglu jumping overboard and swimming towards shore while Knowles restarted the boat’s engines and attempted to flee.
Gumrukguoglu was arrested eight hours later after being found wandering around the town of Beccles barefoot by officers from Norfolk and Suffolk Police.
Knowles’ boat was grounded on a beach near Lowestoft after a pursuit, and he too jumped overboard to try to evade arrest.
Paul Orchard, NCA operations manager, said: “This was a fast-moving and dynamic interception of two men attempting to smuggle in a huge quantity of Class A drugs.
“Knowles and Gumrukguoglu continued to try and evade arrest to avoid a significant loss for their crime group.”
The court was told that a van was waiting in Orton Broad to transport the smugglers and the haul of drugs ready for distribution at a second location.
Judge Benson said the pair’s “substantial and important” role meant their sentences would be significant.
“If people like you were not prepared to smuggle large quantities of cocaine, then cocaine would not be available for addicts in the UK,” he said.
Charlie Eastaugh, Border Force Maritime Director added in a statement: “Border Force officers are committed to disrupting organised crime and keeping Britain safe by preventing deadly drugs from reaching our streets.
“During this pursuit, maritime officers bravely intercepted these criminals and seized 350kg of cocaine, ensuring those who threatened our border security are now facing the full force of the law.”
