Two men who jumped from a boat and attempted to swim to shore after 350 kilos of cocaine were discovered in the hull have been sentenced.
Bruce Knowles, 56, from Dereham, and Ferhat Gumrukguoglu, 32, from the Netherlands, were intercepted on a rigid-hulled inflatable boat near East Benacre Broads in Suffolk in June 2024.
The men had been spotted on the vessel and failed to stop for a Border Force cutter. Gumrukguoglu jumped from the boat and swam towards the beach as Knowles restarted the engines and attempted to flee.
After a pursuit, the boat was grounded on the beach, but as officers moved in to arrest Knowles, he jumped overboard to try to escape.
Officers from Norfolk and Suffolk Police pursued Gumrukguoglu after he fled from the beach, arresting him later that day in Wrentham, Norfolk.
NCA officers searched the boat after it was towed to a harbour in Lowestoft and a haul of cocaine was found, worth an estimated £39 million, hidden under a tarpaulin in the hull.
Investigators believe Knowles and Gumrukguoglu travelled towards French waters to pick up the drugs from a larger ship, before bringing them back to the UK.
Both men were charged with importing a controlled drug and pleaded guilty to the offence at Ipswich Crown Court in August 2024.
They were sentenced at the same court. Knowles received a 17-year and three-month prison sentence, and Gumrukguoglu was sentenced to 15 years.
Paul Orchard, NCA operations manager, said, “This was a fast-moving and dynamic interception of two men attempting to smuggle in a huge quantity of Class A drugs. Knowles and Gumrukguoglu continued to try and evade arrest to avoid a significant loss for their crime group. They now face long prison sentences.”
Charlie Eastaugh, Border Force Maritime Director, said, “Border Force officers are committed to disrupting organised crime and keeping Britain safe by preventing deadly drugs from reaching our streets.
“During this pursuit, maritime officers bravely intercepted these criminals and seized 350kg of cocaine, ensuring those who threatened our border security are now facing the full force of the law.”
