Two more members of an organised crime group behind a dramatic 28-mile high-speed boat chase off the Cornish coast have been jailed for their roles in a plot to smuggle £18.4 million worth of cocaine into the UK.
Peter Williams, 43, of Havant, and Bobbie Pearce, 29, of Brentwood, were sentenced on Thursday at Truro Crown Court to 16 years and nine months and 15 years and four months respectively, bringing the total prison time handed to the seven-strong gang to over 130 years.
The sentencing follows that of four accomplices earlier this month who received more than 82 years combined, with the final member of the crime group, Alex Fowlie, 35, of Chichester, due to face justice on 5 September.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation began after a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) carrying Williams, Scott Johnston, and Edwin Yahir Tabora Baca ran aground on Gwynver Beach, Penzance, on 13 September 2024, following an hour-long pursuit by Border Force officers.
“These are substantial sentences for six men who didn’t care about the misery cocaine causes, they just wanted to make a profit,” said NCA Senior Investigating Officer Barry Vinall. Cocaine is one of the most harmful illegal drugs in the UK, linked to thousands of deaths and fuelling violent crime that wrecks communities and lives.
The dramatic chase unfolded when Border Force officers, conducting an operation off the coast of Newquay, spotted the suspicious RHIB on the horizon. Believing the vessel had collected drugs from a larger ship at sea, officers attempted to intercept it, sparking a high-speed pursuit during which the crew desperately threw packages overboard in an attempt to destroy evidence.
Despite their efforts to evade capture, the RHIB eventually ran aground on the beach, where the three men aboard attempted to flee on foot but were quickly apprehended by pursuing Border Force officers. Six large bales were recovered from the sea, containing approximately 230kg of powder that specialist analysts confirmed as high-purity cocaine.
Williams, who was aboard the RHIB during the chase, played a direct role in the attempted importation alongside Johnston, 38, of Havant, who was jailed for 24 years, and Spanish national Tabora Baca, 33, of Barcelona, who received 17 years and seven months. Tabora Baca had claimed to be an innocent tourist who accepted an invitation from two strangers to go fishing, but NCA officers recovered messages from his phone discussing the group’s plans and a photograph of the cocaine aboard the vessel.
Pearce’s role involved lying in wait on the Cornish coast on 13 September alongside Michael May, 47, of Brentwood, and Terry Willis, 44, of Chelmsford. The trio expected the cocaine to be dropped off to them by their accomplices arriving by sea. May was sentenced to 19 years’ imprisonment, while Willis received 21 years and eight months after also pleading guilty to money laundering and possession of a firearm, relating to a revolver and ammunition found at his home.
The investigation revealed the sophisticated nature of the operation, with Fowlie responsible for purchasing the boat used in the smuggling attempt. Audio messages retrieved from his phone showed he began organising further at-sea drug collections just days after his co-conspirators were arrested. In recordings sent on 16 September, Fowlie advised an unidentified contact he could collect up to “one tonne” and claimed there was “zero f*cking risk.”
NCA officers trawled through extensive CCTV footage, call data, and phone messages to identify all members of the organised crime group. The evidence was so overwhelming that five of the men, including Williams and Pearce, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import Class A drugs before trial. May and Johnston maintained their innocence but were found guilty on 23 June following trial.
Duncan Capps, Senior Director of Border Force Maritime, praised the skill of his officers during the pursuit: “Our officers were fantastic and displayed incredible skill during the 28-mile pursuit, despite the suspects’ attempts to get rid of evidence. Border Force will continue to work alongside the NCA to prevent dangerous drugs reaching our streets.”
The case highlights the increasing sophistication of drug smuggling operations targeting the UK, with organised crime groups using at-sea drop-offs to avoid detection at ports. The method involves larger vessels dropping waterproof packages at pre-arranged coordinates for collection by smaller, faster boats that attempt to land the drugs at remote beaches.
Drug trafficking remains a major source of revenue for organised crime groups, many of whom are involved in other serious crimes including firearms offences, modern slavery, and immigration crime. The NCA estimates that the annual cost to society from drug-related harm exceeds £20 billion, with cocaine-related deaths in England and Wales increasing by 30 per cent in 2023.
The Cornwall coastline has become an increasingly popular target for smuggling operations due to its remote beaches and proximity to international shipping lanes. This has led to enhanced cooperation between the NCA, Border Force, and local police forces to combat the threat.
With street-level cocaine prices typically five times higher than wholesale values, the 230kg seizure prevented drugs worth millions from reaching communities across the UK. The high purity of the cocaine seized suggests it was destined for cutting and distribution across a wide network, potentially fuelling county lines operations and associated violence.
The sentencing sends a clear message to organised crime groups that maritime drug smuggling operations face robust enforcement action. The combined sentences totalling over 130 years reflect the courts‘ determination to impose severe penalties on those who attempt to import Class A drugs into the UK.
Working together, Border Force stopped cocaine worth millions from making it onto UK streets and the National Crime Agency ensured that the group behind its importation faced justice,” Vinall added. “We will continue to target those who seek to profit from the misery caused by drug trafficking.”
The final member of the gang, Alex Fowlie, will be sentenced on 5 September, bringing to a close one of the most significant maritime drug smuggling cases in recent years. His sentencing is expected to add substantially to the already lengthy prison terms handed down to his co-conspirators.
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