A yacht that was seized half a mile off the Welsh coast carrying hundreds of kilograms of cocaine worth at least £20m is going up for auction. The vessel, the Sy Atrevido, was stopped in August 2019 after National Crime Agency (NCA) intelligence identified it as carrying a large drugs shipment from South America.
Packages of white power were found stashed around the yacht and forensic tests have established the substance to be cocaine. At least 250kg of the Class A drug was found – with a wholesale value to criminals of around £8m and a potential street value of up to £20m.
Six people were arrested following the discovery, which is thought to have been one of the biggest drugs busts in years by the NCA. Read More: Yacht carrying cocaine worth up to £60m intercepted off Welsh coast
At the time of the discovery, NCA deputy director of investigations Craig Naylor said he believed the drugs bust was their second-biggest in recent history.
“We believe at the moment what we’ve taken off the boat has a wholesale value of £8m and the street value of that will be in excess of £20m. That’s likely to rise as we take more product off the boat so as an estimate the wholesale value would be £20m in total and a street value of £60m.
“This is a very high-end job – 750kg of cocaine. You don’t come across that every day of the week. The NCA, working with Border Force, working with other partners, are regularly seizing, arresting, and convicting people for these sort of offences but usually for 10kg-20kg amounts.
“Certainly in my recollection this is the second-biggest seizure that the NCA has had in recent years.”
Now the infamous yacht is being auctioned by Wilsons Auctions on behalf of the National Crime Agency (NCA). Seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act, ‘Sy Atrevido’ will be sold unreserved, meaning it will go to the highest bidder of the auction. Currently located in Milford Haven, Sy Atrevido is a 50ft yacht that was built in 1996.
The auction will open for bidding on Thursday, May 26, at 11am GMT. Registered customers will have a 24-hour window of opportunity to bid online before the auction closes at 11am GMT on Friday, May 27.
Another seized vessel will also be available in the upcoming online auction. ‘Trip Trap’ is a 1977 Mirage 28 sailing boat allocated to auction on behalf of a law enforcement agency. Berthed at Lowestoft Haven Marina, England, viewing for this vessel can be arranged strictly by appointment only on Thursday May 26.
Wilsons Auctions’ Government Contracts Manager, Mark Woods said, “We are delighted to manage more seized vessels at auction this month for our vendors. Sy Atrevido is another high-profile UK case on behalf of the NCA with reports that around £60m worth of cocaine was found on board the 50ft yacht.”
“The great range of other luxury Lots should appeal to a wide variety of bidders – new buyers are always welcome to the auction process at Wilsons Auctions. The online element of the auction is extremely convenient for bidders around the world to register and get involved.”
“We are proud to facilitate auctions on behalf of our government and law enforcement agency clients. We play an important role in realising a large quantity of assets on behalf of these clients and in recent years, these auctions have seen us responsible in returning in excess of £130m back into the public purse,”
Viewing appointments for Trip Trap will be available to book via contacting Mark Woods on +44 (0)2890 342626 or emailing markwoods@wilsonsauctions.com .
