Dramatic moment drug smugglers leap from boat in failed escape bid after being caught with £37m of cocaine by officers
SHOCKING footage has shown the moment two drug smugglers leapt from a boat after being caught with £37million worth of cocaine.
Bruce Knowles, 55, and Ferhat Gumrukguoglu, 31, were intercepted by Border Force near East Benacre Broads in Suffolk.
The pair had stashed 350kg of cocaine in the hull of their inflatable boat with the dramatic sting caught on camera.
Footage released by the National Crime Agency (NCA), shows officers intercepting the boat when it refused to come to a halt.
They had initially stopped when the Border Force cutter moved in but Knowles restarted the engines to the rigid hulled inflatable boat and tried to escape.
But officers were left stunned as Gumrukguoglu leapt from the vessel and swam towards the beach in a brazen attempt to escape.
The boat was grounded on the beach and officers moved in to arrest Knowles, after he also jumped overboard during the incident on June 24.
Officers from Norfolk and Suffolk Police chased Gumrukguoglu after he fled from the beach.
But the Dutchman was arrested later that day in Wrentham, Norfolk.
NCA officers towed the boat to a harbour in Lowestoft where it was thoroughly searched.
Officers then found the Class A drugs haul worth £39 million under a tarpaulin.
Investigators believe Knowles, from Dereham, and Gumrukguoglu, from the Netherlands, travelled towards French waters to pick up the drugs from a larger ship, before bringing them back to the UK.
Both men were interviewed and gave no comment, but were subsequently charged with importing a controlled drug.
Knowles, who appeared in court via a video link, and Gumrukguoglu will now be remanded in custody until a basis of plea hearing on September 17.
The sentencing date will be decided during a hearing due to be held on November 1.
They pleaded guilty to the offence at Ipswich Crown Court on Tuesday and are now facing a prison sentence.
NCA Branch Commander Lydia Bloomfield said: “Knowles and Gumrukguoglu knew they were going to lose a huge quantity of drugs when they were intercepted at sea by our Border Force colleagues.
“Both were working for a wider organised crime group, who will now feel the effects of a loss of this amount.”
Border Force Deputy Director Sally Hawkyard said: “Our Border Force Officers played a pivotal role in detecting and seizing millions of pounds worth of cocaine, which ensured that these two men were brought to justice.
“We remain committed to stopping illegal drugs from entering the country, where they ruin lives and fuel organised criminal gangs.
“Border Force will continue to work tirelessly to keep the public safe and our borders secure.”