Eleven people have been convicted over a plot to smuggle £40m cocaine into the UK – which was dropped into the sea from a passing ship.
David Paterson, 49, sailed out from Haslar Marina, Portsmouth, into international waters off the Isle of Wight on 17 August 2024 to collect the 500kg consignment. He failed but Adil Nolan succeeded after setting out from Eastbourne Harbour the next day.
Three men out of the 11 plotters were found guilty of conspiring to smuggle cocaine at a trial at Portsmouth Crown Court, while one woman was found guilty of assisting an organised crime group. Seven others previously admitted their roles, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.
They will be sentenced in November.