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| Cocaine worth £20m found on yacht on Isles of Scilly | Cocaine worth £20m found on yacht on Isles of Scilly |
| (3 months later) | |
| Cocaine worth £20m has been found on a yacht from which a sailor plunged to his death from the top of the mast on to a quay as customs officials carried out a search. | Cocaine worth £20m has been found on a yacht from which a sailor plunged to his death from the top of the mast on to a quay as customs officials carried out a search. |
| The man, a Dutch national believed to be in his early 60s, was flown from the Isles of Scilly to the mainland by helicopter but could not be saved. The vessel was taken to Newlyn, Cornwall, for an examination. | The man, a Dutch national believed to be in his early 60s, was flown from the Isles of Scilly to the mainland by helicopter but could not be saved. The vessel was taken to Newlyn, Cornwall, for an examination. |
| A Border Force spokesman said: "Following a search of the yacht, Windrose, a substantial quantity of cocaine, thought to be approximately 200 kilos, was found. It is estimated that if cut and sold in the UK the drugs could have had a potential street value of around £20m." | A Border Force spokesman said: "Following a search of the yacht, Windrose, a substantial quantity of cocaine, thought to be approximately 200 kilos, was found. It is estimated that if cut and sold in the UK the drugs could have had a potential street value of around £20m." |
| The Dutch-registered yacht is thought to have been heading from Portugal to Falmouth in Cornwall, when it got into trouble off Scilly on Sunday and had to be towed into the harbour at St Mary's. | The Dutch-registered yacht is thought to have been heading from Portugal to Falmouth in Cornwall, when it got into trouble off Scilly on Sunday and had to be towed into the harbour at St Mary's. |
| On Monday evening border force officials boarded the yacht, and two hours later the man is thought to have clambered up the mast, apparently in an attempt to escape capture. | On Monday evening border force officials boarded the yacht, and two hours later the man is thought to have clambered up the mast, apparently in an attempt to escape capture. |
| He jumped or fell 12m (40ft) from the mast on to the quayside and was pronounced dead in hospital. | He jumped or fell 12m (40ft) from the mast on to the quayside and was pronounced dead in hospital. |
| Dale Clark, the harbourmaster, said the man had called for help because he was suffering from fatigue and had a problem with his rigging. | Dale Clark, the harbourmaster, said the man had called for help because he was suffering from fatigue and had a problem with his rigging. |
| A police spokesman said: "Police were alerted that a man was seriously injured after falling from the mast of a yacht. | A police spokesman said: "Police were alerted that a man was seriously injured after falling from the mast of a yacht. |
| "The man is believed to be a Dutch national in his early 60s. It is understood that the yacht had been boarded as part of a Border Force operation shortly before the incident." | "The man is believed to be a Dutch national in his early 60s. It is understood that the yacht had been boarded as part of a Border Force operation shortly before the incident." |
| Few details of the operation have been released but it is thought only a handful of officers were involved. | Few details of the operation have been released but it is thought only a handful of officers were involved. |
| In previous centuries consignments of spirits, tobacco and tea have been seized by customs officers in Scilly. The dangerous nature of the waters around the islands, 30 miles off the mainland, means that the man on board the Windrose is not the first to have got into trouble. | In previous centuries consignments of spirits, tobacco and tea have been seized by customs officers in Scilly. The dangerous nature of the waters around the islands, 30 miles off the mainland, means that the man on board the Windrose is not the first to have got into trouble. |
| The seizure is not the largest ever in the UK but it is seen as significant by the Border Force, which was formed in 2012 and is responsible for searching for illicit goods and illegal immigrants. | The seizure is not the largest ever in the UK but it is seen as significant by the Border Force, which was formed in 2012 and is responsible for searching for illicit goods and illegal immigrants. |
| In 2011 a consignment of cocaine said to be worth £300m was found hidden in a luxury pleasure cruiser berthed in Southampton | In 2011 a consignment of cocaine said to be worth £300m was found hidden in a luxury pleasure cruiser berthed in Southampton |
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