ARRESTED 60-year-old, who is originally from Blackpool, but has been living in the Marbella area of Spain

<div class="image-caption" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; float: left; font-size: 0.9em; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><img alt="Armed Naval and Gardai personnel with cocaine which was seized from a yacht off the west coast of Ireland" class="editorialSectionImg" src="http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/webimage/pa_6531058_1_3959357!image/2485820488.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_595/2485820488.jpg" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" /><p style="margin-top: 3px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 3px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; clear: left; float: left; width: 595px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Armed Naval and Gardai personnel with cocaine which was seized from a yacht off the west coast of Ireland</p></div><div class="editorialSectionLeft" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; float: left; width: 430px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">A BLACKPOOL man has been arrested for allegedly being part of a £250m international cocaine smuggling racket.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Police, acting under orders from the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) – dubbed Britain’s FBI –swooped in the town to capture John Alan Brooks.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The 60-year-old, who is originally from Blackpool, but has been living in the Marbella area of Spain, was found at an address in Marton.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">His arrest comes as part of a major investigation which was launched in 2008 when a 1.5 tonnes shipment of cocaine was seized off the coast of Ireland.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The luxury yacht Dances With Waves was carrying drugs with an estimated value of 300m euros or £250m.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Naval officers boarded her after she got into trouble 170 miles off the south west coast of Ireland.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Brooks is known to have had addresses previously in both the Commonedge Road area of Blackpool and in Lytham and St Annes.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">It is believed he was visiting family members in Blackpool when police moved in.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">A spokesman for SOCA confirmed: “A man allegedly linked to a plot to smuggle 1.5 tonnes of cocaine into the UK on board the boat Dances with Waves was arrested as part of a Serious Organised Crime Agency investigation.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">“John Alan Brooks has been charged with conspiracy to import cocaine.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">“He is originally from Blackpool, but has been living in the Benahavis area of Spain,</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">“He appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Monday. He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Birmingham Crown Court this coming Monday.”</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The drugs seizure was reportedly the largest in Irish history when it was made in November 2008.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Dances With Waves – a 60ft ocean-going yacht – had set sail from Trinidad and was heading for the UK when it got into difficulties in stormy weather.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">It was reported 70 bales of cocaine were on the verge of capsizing when Naval officers moved in.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Authorities were forced to board the ship in “horrendous weather conditions” to prevent evidence being lost in the seven-metre swells.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Experts said although the yacht could travel at high speeds, it was not designed for rough weather.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Under armed guard, the crippled yacht was sailed to Castletownbere, west Cork, where plastic-wrapped bales which filled the hull were unloaded and stacked on the quayside.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">n Philip Doo, 52, from Brixham, David Mufford, 44, of Torquay, and Christopher Wiggins, 42, with an address in Spain’s Costa del Sol were arrested on the yacht.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">They later pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply.</p><p style="margin-top: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font: normal normal normal 100%/1.25 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 1.091em; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">All received 10-year sentences at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in May 2009</p></div>

ARRESTED 60-year-old, who is originally from Blackpool, but has been living in the Marbella area of Spain

Armed Naval and Gardai personnel with cocaine which was seized from a yacht off the west coast of Ireland   A BLACKPOOL man has been arreste...

Read more »