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Dutch pair charged after significant amount of cocaine seized from boat

Photographs showed officers from the National Crime Agency unloading a large number of parcels wrapped in coloured packaging.

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Drugs are unloaded from a boat by officers at Newlyn harbour

Two men have been charged after a significant amount of cocaine was seized from a boat in the English Channel.

Dutch nationals Maarten Peter Pieterse, 59, and Emile Adriaan Jeroen Schoemaker, 44, were arrested on Thursday after the yacht they were travelling on was intercepted by a Border Force cutter off south-west Cornwall and escorted to Newlyn.

The pair will appear at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Saturday via video link accused of drug importation offences.

Drugs are unloaded from a boat by officers at Newlyn harbour
Packages are unloaded from a boat by officers at Newlyn harbour (Ben Birchall/PA)

A National Crime Agency (NCA) spokeswoman said: “Although this is a significant seizure of cocaine, the exact quantity is not yet known.

“Our operation at the harbour will continue over the weekend with ongoing support from Border Force and Devon and Cornwall Police.”

Photographs showed officers from the NCA unloading a large number of parcels wrapped in coloured packaging.

Newlyn harbour was closed for several hours while the bomb squad investigated an item recovered from the boat.

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