Man charged over yacht cocaine seizure

A 45-year-old man from Hull has been charged in connection with an attempt to smuggle more than a tonne of cocaine into the UK on a yacht.

National Crime Agency investigators have charged Wayne Bush, formerly of Ormonde Avenue, in the city, with conspiring to import class A drugs.

Members of the navy stand behind cocaine taken from onboard the yacht Makayabellaplaceholder image
Members of the navy stand behind cocaine taken from onboard the yacht Makayabella

Mr Bush was arrested “at a location in Humberside” on Monday, the Agency said this afternoon.

He remains in custody and will appear before Leeds Magistrates on Thursday.

The Makayabella was intercepted by the Irish navy off the south coast of Ireland in September 2014.

It had transported the drugs from Venezuela and was to transfer its cargo to another vessel, but the second boat ran out of fuel on the way to the meeting point.

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