A Cornish fisherman who once proudly met King Charles has been handed an 18-year prison sentence for captaining a vessel that intercepted a massive £18 million cocaine shipment off the rugged Cornish coastline.
David Pleasants, 61, from the picturesque fishing port of Mevagissey, operated under the guise of a legitimate fisherman while masterminding a sophisticated drug smuggling operation. His double life was exposed when authorities intercepted his boat, the Galwad-Y-Mor, which was found to be carrying 240kg of high-purity cocaine destined for UK streets.
The Royal Connection and Double Life
Pleasants' case captured public attention due to his previous encounter with the monarch. He had met King Charles during a visit highlighting the sustainable fishing industry—a bitter irony given his subsequent crimes. The fisherman had presented the then-Prince with a signed photograph of his vessel, openly discussing his livelihood while secretly planning narcotics operations.
A Sophisticated Smuggling Operation
The court heard how Pleasants utilized his extensive knowledge of Cornish waters to orchestrate the daring pickup. The operation unfolded in September 2022 when the Galwad-Y-Mor rendezvoused with a larger vessel in the English Channel to collect the substantial cocaine shipment.
Authorities from the National Crime Agency (NCA) had been monitoring the operation for months. They observed Pleasants making frequent trips to specific coordinates far from normal fishing grounds, raising suspicions about his activities.
The Dramatic Interception
NCA officers moved in to intercept the vessel approximately 100 miles off the Cornish coast. What they discovered was one of the largest drug hauls in recent regional history.
The seizure included:
- 240 kilograms of high-purity cocaine
- Estimated street value of £18 million
- Sophisticated communication equipment
- Detailed navigation charts marking unusual routes
Sentencing and Impact
At Southampton Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Rowland described Pleasants as "the essential lynchpin" of the operation, emphasizing that his knowledge and experience made the crime possible. The 18-year sentence reflects the severity of importing Class A drugs into the UK.
An NCA spokesperson stated: "This seizure demonstrates how organized crime groups exploit individuals with specific skillsets. Pleasants abused his position as a trusted member of the fishing community to facilitate large-scale drug importation."
The case has sent shockwaves through the close-knit Cornish fishing community, where Pleasants was previously regarded as a respected industry figure.
