A 50-ft yacht formerly owned by a drug trafficker is set to be sold to the highest bidder. The National Crime Agency (NCA) seized the Nori yacht after its owner Gary Swift was implicated in a £60m drug plot.
The Huyton resident was arrested when police stormed the drug laden SY Atrevido during the early hours of December 2017 off the coast of Wales. Swift was later jailed for 19 years and six months after pleading guilty to importing Class A drugs into the UK.
Swift was handed a confiscation order worth £328,071 at Swansea Crown Court under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the Liverpool Echo reports.
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The sale of the Sy Nori , which is still berthed at Albert Dock, will be used to help settle the confiscation order handed to Swift by Judge Paul Thomas, QC. The 50ft yacht features a kitchen and dining area, sleeping quarters and a bathroom. It was built by Tucker Designs in the mid 1990s.
Last year a woman who knew Swift told the ECHO that he planned to start a new life in South America after the drug run. She said: "He had a bought a house over there ( South America) . This was his last big job and he planned to start a new life over there after this on haul. But it was not to be."
The vessel, which had sailed from South America, was escorted into Fishguard port after police had stormed it, where NCA officers and Border Force’s Deep Rummage team conducted a search - a drug haul worth a potential £60m was found onboard.
Wilsons, one of the UK's largest independent auction houses, is now handling the sale. The auction house has a specialist assets recovery department which represents police forces and law enforcement organisations across the UK.
Mark Woods from the auction house, said: “Sy Nori is associated with the same case as the last seized vessel (Sy Atrevido) sold at Wilsons Auctions.
"We act in realising a large quantity of assets on behalf of law enforcement clients, and we have seen a wide variety of interesting items offered at auction. In recent years, these auctions have seen us responsible in returning more than £130 million to the public purse.
“The watches, rings and handbags listed in this month’s catalogue represent some great investment opportunities, there really is something for everyone.”
Viewing appointments for SY Nori will be available to book via contacting Mark Woods on +44 (0)2890 342626 or emailing markwoods@wilsonsauctions.com. For more information go here.
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