COCAINE worth around £480,000 has been seized from a yacht sailed to Brighton from the Caribbean. 

The two crewmen of the Tacabanda II have been arrested on suspicion of importing drugs and released on bail. 

Border Force officers started searching the boat on Sunday (July 19) at Brighton marina and found three kilograms of cocaine, a spokesman for the National Crime Agency said. 

The crewmen, a St Lucian national aged 62 and a 29-year-old man from Grenada, were questioned by National Crime Agency officers before being released on bail today (Wednesday), until November. 

Officers continued searching the boat yesterday but found no further drugs, a spokesman said. 

Steve McIntyre, senior investigator for the National Crime Agency, said:

“Forensic analysis of the drugs seized has yet to be carried out, but the likelihood is it is cocaine of a very high purity.

“Our investigations are continuing, and we’d appeal to anyone who saw any kind of suspicious activity at the marina to come forward and let us know.

“Working with our Border Force colleagues we are determined to disrupt the organised crime networks involved in smuggling class A drugs into the UK.”

Sue Young, Director of Border Force South, said:

“Border Force officers play a key role in protecting the UK from illegal drugs and this seizure has prevented a significant quantity from reaching the streets.

“Working with law enforcement colleagues like the NCA we are determined to do all we can to prevent drug trafficking and put those responsible behind bars.”

Anyone with information about suspicious or unusual activity in ports or harbours can report it to their local police by dialling 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 quoting “KRAKEN”.