News

West Wales men in custody after one tonne of cocaine seized from fishing boat

Published

1 year ago

September 15, 2024

IN what is being described as a major blow to organised crime, authorities have seized approximately one tonne of cocaine from a fishing boat off the coast of Cornwall. The interception, conducted by Border Force officers, has resulted in the arrest and charging of four men, at least two from west Wales, who are now in custody.

The vessel, named Lily Lola, was stopped by Border Force officials off the coast of Newquay on Friday afternoon, 13 September. Onboard, officers discovered a substantial haul of the Class A drug, which represents a significant disruption to the criminal organisation behind the attempted smuggling operation.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) is leading the investigation into this high-stakes interception. On Saturday, they confirmed the arrests and subsequent charges against the four men. The individuals have been remanded in custody and are scheduled to appear at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 16 September.

Two of the men charged are from Swansea, Wales. Jon Paul Williams, aged 46, of St Thomas, Swansea, and Patrick Godfrey, aged 30, of Port Tennant, Swansea, were among those detained. Also charged were Michael Kelly, 45, of Portway, Manchester, and Jake Marchant, 26, who has no fixed address. All four face charges related to the importation of a controlled Class A drug.

A spokesperson for the NCA outlined the operation: “Four men have been charged with drugs offences after Border Force officers intercepted a fishing boat carrying approximately one tonne of cocaine off the coast of Newquay, Cornwall. The men were aboard the vessel when it was stopped by officers on Friday afternoon.”

Derek Evans, branch commander of the NCA, emphasised the significance of this seizure: “This is a significant amount of cocaine that will represent a huge loss for the organised crime group that attempted to import it into the UK. With our partners at Border Force and the Joint Maritime Security Centre, we have successfully removed this harmful drug consignment from the criminal marketplace.”

Evans also noted the broader impact of such a large consignment of cocaine entering the country. “Its onward supply would have fuelled exploitation through county lines activity as well as serious violence and knife crime,” he said, adding that the investigation into the importation is ongoing.

This recent incident in Cornwall draws parallels to a similar case in Pembrokeshire several years ago. In September 2019, a fishing boat named the “Blues” was intercepted near the coast of Wales, leading to the seizure of a substantial quantity of cocaine worth around £60 million. The vessel had been monitored as part of a sophisticated operation by law enforcement, culminating in the arrest and conviction of several individuals. The seizure was one of the largest in UK history and highlighted the increasing use of maritime routes by organised crime groups to smuggle drugs into the country. The interception off Pembrokeshire’s coast reminded locals of the persistent threat posed by drug traffickers attempting to exploit the region’s extensive coastline.

The Agency said that this latest successful interception is a testament to the coordinated efforts between the NCA, Border Force, and the Joint Maritime Security Centre, demonstrating the UK’s commitment to combatting drug trafficking and the associated criminal activities it engenders.

News

BBC apologises to Herald’s editor for inaccurate story

Published

14 minutes ago

December 4, 2025

Staff Writer

THE BBC has issued a formal apology and amended a six-year-old article written by BBC Wales Business Correspondent Huw Thomas after its Executive Complaints Unit ruled that the original headline and wording gave an “incorrect impression” that Herald editor Tom Sinclair was personally liable for tens of thousands of pounds in debt.

The 2019 report, originally headlined “Herald newspaper editor Tom Sinclair has £70,000 debts”, has now been changed.

The ECU found: “The wording of the article and its headline could have led readers to form the incorrect impression that the debt was Mr Sinclair’s personal responsibility… In that respect the article failed to meet the BBC’s standards of due accuracy.”

Mr Sinclair said: “I’m grateful to the ECU for the apology and for correcting the personal-liability impression that caused real harm for six years. However, the article still links the debts to ‘the group which publishes The Herald’ when in fact they related to printing companies that were dissolved two years before the Herald was founded in 2013. I have asked the BBC to add that final clarification so the record is completely accurate.”

A formal apology and correction of this kind from the BBC is extremely rare, especially for a story more than six years old.

Business

First wind turbine components arrive as LNG project moves ahead

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE FIRST ship carrying major components for Dragon LNG’s new onshore wind turbines
docked at Pembroke Port yesterday afternoon last week, marking the start of physical
deliveries for the multi-million-pound renewable energy project.

The Maltese-registered general cargo vessel Peak Bergen berthed at Pembroke Dock on
shortly after 4pm on Wednesday 26th November, bringing tower sections and other heavy
components for the three Enercon turbines that will eventually stand on land adjacent to the
existing gas terminal at Waterston.

A second vessel, the Irish-flagged Wilson Flex IV, has arrived in Pembroke Port today is
due to arrive in the early hours of this morning (Thursday) carrying the giant rotor blades.
The deliveries follow a successful trial convoy on 25 November, when police-escorted low-
loader trailers carried dummy loads along the planned route from the port through
Pembroke, past Waterloo roundabout and up the A477 to the Dragon LNG site.

Dragon LNG’s Community and Social Performance Officer, Lynette Round, confirmed the
latest movements in emails to the Herald.

“The Peak Bergen arrived last week yesterday with the first components,” she said. “We are
expecting another delivery tomorrow (Thursday) onboard the Wilson Flex IV. This will be
blades and is currently showing an ETA of approximately 03:30.”

The £14.3 million project, approved by Welsh Ministers last year, will see three turbines with
a combined capacity of up to 13.5 MW erected on company-owned land next to the LNG
terminal. Once operational – expected in late 2026 – they will generate enough electricity to
power the entire site, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Port of Milford Haven shipping movements showed the Peak Bergen approaching the Haven
throughout Wednesday morning before finally tying up at the cargo berth in Pembroke Dock.

Cranes began unloading operations yesterday evening.

The Weather conditions are currently were favourable for this morning’s the arrival of
the Wilson Flex IV, which was tracking south of the Smalls at midnight.

The abnormal-load convoys carrying the components from the port to Waterston are
expected to begin early next year, subject to final police and highway approvals.

A community benefit fund linked to the project will provide training opportunities and energy-
bill support for residents in nearby Waterston, Llanstadwell and Neyland.
Further updates will be issued by Dragon LNG as the Port of Milford Haven as the delivery
programme continues.

Photo: Martin Cavaney

Crime

Banned for 40 months after driving with cocaine breakdown product in blood

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been handed a lengthy driving ban after admitting driving with a controlled drug in her system more than ten times over the legal limit.

SENTENCED AT HAVERFORDWEST

Sally Allen, 43, of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Dec 4) for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on November 25 to driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the prescribed limit.

The court heard that Allen was stopped on August 25 on the Old Hakin Road at Tiers Cross while driving an Audi A3. Blood analysis showed 509µg/l of Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine. The legal limit is 50µg/l.

COMMUNITY ORDER AND REHABILITATION

Magistrates imposed a 40-month driving ban, backdated to her interim disqualification which began on November 25.

Allen was also handed a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by the Probation Service.

She was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. Her financial penalties will be paid in £25 monthly instalments from January 1, 2026.

The bench—Mrs H Roberts, Mr M Shankland and Mrs J Morris—said her guilty plea had been taken into account when passing sentence.