Men who jumped overboard from boat packed with €46.5m of cocaine are jailed
Both men attempted to swim to shore after 350 kilos of the drug was discovered
Brce Knowles and Ferhat Gumrukguoglu were jailed at Ipswich Crown Court having previously pleaded guilty to attempting to import a controlled drug
The boat is intercepted by Border Force officers
Two men who jumped from a boat and attempted to swim to shore after 350 kilos of cocaine was discovered on board are facing long prison sentence in the UK.
Bruce Knowles (56) from Dereham, and Ferhat Gumrukguoglu (32) from the Netherlands, spotted on the vessel off the Suffolk coast in June 2024.
Their rigid hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) was intercepted near East Benacre Broads after it failed to stop for a Border Force cutter.
As Knowles restarted the engines in an attempt to flee, Gumrukguoglu jumped into the water and swam towards the beach.
The boat is intercepted by Border Force officers
News in 90 Seconds - May 17th
The Border Force cutter chased after the boat that grounded on a beach after a short pursuit.
However, as officers moved in to arrest Knowles, he also jumped overboard to try to escape.
Gumrukguoglu managed to flee from the beach, but officers from Norfolk and Suffolk Police arrested him later that day in Wrentham, Norfolk.
After the boat as towed to a harbour in Lowestoft NCA officers found the cocaine, worth an estimated £39 million (€46.5) hidden under tarpaulin in the hull.
Investigators believe Knowles and Gumrukguoglu had sailed towards French waters wher they picked up the drugs from a larger ship, with the intention of bringing them back to the UK.
Both men were later charged with importing a controlled drug.
They both pleaded guilty to the offence at Ipswich Crown Court in August 2024 where they were sentenced this week.
Knowles was handed down a 17 year and three month prison sentence and Gumrukguoglu was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Brce Knowles and Ferhat Gumrukguoglu were jailed at Ipswich Crown Court having previously pleaded guilty to attempting to import a controlled drug
Paul Orchard, NCA operations manager described the operation as 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. They now face long prison sentences,' Orchard said.
"With thanks to our partners in Border Force and the Joint Maritime Security Centre, a significant amount of class A drugs have been removed from the criminal marketplace where further criminality and exploitation would have followed.
"The NCA is committed to protecting the public from serious and organised crime and stopping criminals from fuelling the UK drugs trade."
Charlie Eastaugh, Border Force Maritime Director added: 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."
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