Image for representation purposes only Eleven people have been convicted in the UK over a plot to recover 500 kg (1,102 lb) of cocaine worth an estimated £40 million ($54 million) after the drugs were dumped into the sea from a container ship in international waters off southern England. The cocaine was dropped about 40 nautical miles south of the Needles, west of the Isle of Wight, in August 2024. The waterproof bundles were fitted with GPS trackers so they could be recovered at sea, but the operation nearly failed when the trackers stopped working. David Paterson, 49, sailed from Haslar Marina in Portsmouth aboard the rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) Amma Sigga in the early hours of Aug. 17, 2024, to collect the drugs. He was accompanied by two other men, one of whom was acquitted at trial while the other cannot be named for legal reasons. Investigators said the drugs had been thrown into the sea by accomplices aboard a container ship. Paterson was guided by Lewis Watts, 37, who stayed ashore and sent him instructions through WhatsApp. As the container ship sailed past, Watts messaged Paterson: “Big ship has passed you, flash lights.” He later added: “Big ship has passed you, chase it and flash lights.” The recovery attempt failed when the GPS trackers stopped sending signals. After searching for several hours, Paterson returned to shore without finding the cocaine and took no further part in the conspiracy. The following morning, Aug. 18, the trackers started working again. The organised crime group quickly sent another team to recover the shipment. On Aug. 19, Adil Nolan, 40, left Eastbourne Harbour aboard the Amma Sigga with two other men, one who cannot be named for legal reasons and another unidentified man. They recovered 16 bales of cocaine with a purity of about 85% before sailing to Medmerry Beach near Selsey in West Sussex, where law enforcement officers were waiting. The cocaine was seized before it could be moved elsewhere. S