Two men from Liverpool have been charged following the discovery of a secret £60 million stash of cocaine on board a luxury yacht from South America.
Police and UK Border Agency officials swooped on the Sy Atrevido as it sailed half a mile off the coast of Wales on Tuesday.
A massive 750 kilograms of the Class A drug were located on the vessel as it was forensically combed by experts in the port of Fishguard this week.
Gary Swift, 53, and Scott Kilgour 41, both from Liverpool, were arrested on board the yacht.
Now, they have appeared today at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court charged with conspiracy to import cocaine.
They were remanded in custody to appear at Swansea Crown Court on September 27.
Three more arrests, of men aged, 23, 31 and 47, were made in Liverpool.
A woman, 30, from Loughborough was the sixth person detained.
During Border Force’s deep rummage team search, officers discovered numerous packages containing white powder, which had been distributed throughout the vessel.
The quantity found so far would have a wholesale value to criminals of around £24 million, and a potential street value of £60 million.
Initially investigators believed 250kgs were on board, but as the checks continued, three times that amount was seized.
The swoop was carried out by thee National Crime Agency (NCA), Border Force, and Dyfed-Powys police officers.
Craig Naylor, deputy director of investigations for the NCA, said he believed the drugs bust was their second biggest in recent history
"This is a very high end job - 750kg (1,654lb) of cocaine. You don't come across that every day of the week.
"Certainly in my recollection this is the second biggest seizure that the NCA has had in recent years."
