Key facts
- A criminal group attempted to retrieve 500kg of cocaine valued at £40 million from the sea.
- The initial recovery attempt on August 17, 2024, failed because GPS trackers on the drug bundles malfunctioned.
- A second attempt on August 18, 2024, successfully recovered 16 bales of cocaine.
- Law enforcement officers intercepted the drugs when they were brought ashore at Medmerry Beach.
- Eleven individuals have been convicted in connection with the smuggling plot.
A sophisticated plot by an organised crime group to retrieve £40 million worth of cocaine from the sea was thwarted by malfunctioning GPS trackers and subsequent law enforcement intervention. The scheme involved dumping approximately 500kg of high-purity cocaine into international waters, about 40 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, with plans to recover it using a rigid-hulled inflatable boat.
On August 17, 2024, David Paterson, a Scottish oil rig worker, departed from Haslar Marina to locate the shipment. He was guided by Lewis Watts via WhatsApp, but the GPS devices attached to the waterproof bundles failed to transmit any location data, rendering the recovery impossible. Paterson returned empty-handed.
The following day, August 18, the GPS trackers unexpectedly began functioning again. A new team, including Adil Nolan, set out on the Amma Sigga and successfully recovered 16 bales of cocaine. However, National Crime Agency (NCA) officers were monitoring the operation and were waiting when the boat landed at Medmerry Beach near Selsey, West Sussex, seizing the haul.
Eleven individuals were implicated in the conspiracy. OCG leaders Daniel Jamieson and Sam Brown orchestrated the operation, with Jamieson using a purchased maritime company to acquire a vessel. Seven conspirators had previously pleaded guilty, while Jamieson, Paterson, and others were convicted at trial. Charlotte Blenman was cleared of conspiracy but convicted of assisting an organised crime group, as were four members of the beach landing party.