Four Britons jailed over €300m drugs find off Cork coast

Three Britons have been jailed for their part in a plot to smuggle almost €300 million worth of cocaine into the UK only to be foiled by the Irish authorities off the West Cork coast.

A fourth has been jailed for money laundering arising from the same investigation.

David Webster (44) and Philip McElhone (29) were both jailed on Friday for 11 years and James Hill (31) was jailed for six years after they were all convicted of conspiracy to import cocaine into the UK aboard the yacht, Makayabella.

Webster and McElhone both pleaded guilty to the charge and Hill was convicted following a trial while a fourth person, Dawne Powell (56) was acquitted of conspiracy to import cocaine but convicted of money laundering following a trial and she was sentenced to three years in jail.

All four were charged following an investigation by the Britain's National Crime Agency after the seizure of the Makayabella by the LE Niamh of the Irish Naval Service around 300kms off the south west coast of Ireland on September 23rd, 2014.

The yacht, which was carrying around a tonne of cocaine worth with an estimated street value of €290 million, was detained by the Naval Service in a joint operation with customs officers and gardaí.

The operation to track the vessel as it crossed the Atlantic from the Caribbean involved the Irish authorities along with both National Crime Agency and National Maritime Information Centre in the UK as well as French and Venezuelan authorities.

In April this year, three Britons detained on board the yacht pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and were jailed for varying terms for possessing 1,025kgs of cocaine with a street value of €290 million for sale or supply and for attempting to import the drug into the UK.

Skipper of the Makayabella, Jonathan Powell (71) from Silsden, West Yorkshire was given a ten-year term by judge Sean O Donnabhain and crew members, Benjamin Mellor (34) from Bradford and Thomas Britteon (28) from Grimsby were each jailed for eight years.

Earlier in December 2014, Powell's son, Stephen Powell (48) of Netherfield Road in Guiseley, West Yorkshire was jailed for 16 years by judge Peter Collier at Leeds Crown Court for his part in the plot to smuggle the cargo of cocaine into North Wales.

Insp Fergal Foley told Cork Circuit Criminal Court that Stephen Powell was the brains behind the operation and had recruited hi father to purchase the yacht which was to bring the drugs across the Atlantic before transferring them to a motor cruiser, the Sea Breeze off the North Wales coast.

Leeds Crown Court heard during the most recent trial that Stephen Powell's wife, Dawne bought and insured the Makayabella, bought flights to the Caribbean for her husband and his father, John Powell, bought equipment for the yacht and paid for another boat used in the plot.

Dawne Powell , from Guisely in West Yorkshire, who was acquitted of the conspiracy to import cocaine but found guilty of money laundering, was told by sentencing Judge James Spencer QC that he was satisfied she knew what the money was being used for.

“I’m quite satisfied that you knew what (Stephen Powell) was about, I’m quite satisfied you knew what was involved. Notwithstanding that knowledge, or your suspicion of it, you made that money available,” said judge Spencer.

The Leeds trial heard that Stephen Powell bought the £100,000 (€137,000) Makayabella in his name but the yacht was paid for in four instalments from a bank account in the sole name of his wife. She also paid for insurance for the yacht and bought a satellite phone.

The second boat, the Sea Breeze, was bought by Stephen Powell but the cash payment of £18,350 was made by his wife and judge Spencer said that Dawne Powell had kept control of the money for her “habitual gambler” husband and made it available to him.

Dawne Powell told the court she did not know her husband was involved in the drug smuggling plot and thought he wanted the Makayabella to sell on for profit. She said she believed the Sea Breeze was to be used for fishing trips.

The defendant told the court that she thought the money she was given to pay for the Sea Breeze was from her husband's poker winnings and the money used to buy the Makayabella was from the sale of another boat.

Imposing jail sentences on Webster from Otley, West Yorkshire, McElhone, from Halton Moor, Leeds and Hill from Ilkley, West Yorkshire, judge Spencer said it was “a serious conspiracy” which involved “a huge amount of cash” with the potential to make “profits (that) therefore were mind-boggling”.