The bust, through a joint operation involving Gwent Police Force, Customs and Excise and the National Crime Squad of United Kingdom, resulted in the confiscation of the lumber and the cocaine, which London police say has a street value of 9 million pounds sterling or US$240 million.

The UK authorities did not apprehend the vessel but eight men (not seven as was reported in Tuesday’s Chronicle) appeared in a court in London on Monday charged with allegedly smuggling the cocaine into that country. They were remanded and are to reappear in court next Monday.

Meanwhile the ‘EWL Venezuela’ has since returned to Guyana and then departed, continuing its usual shipping of cargo from the Caribbean to Europe.

The vessel is not registered in Guyana but was utilized by one of the shipping companies here to transport the lumber for a local dealer.

South Wales Argus News, quoting a spokesman for UK Customs and Excise, stated that: “The cocaine arrived at Felixstowe on May 29, and was concealed in a consignment of lumber that had arrived from Guyana.”

The local police stated that up to press time they had not received official word up from the UK authorities on the drug bust.

Guyana Chronicle was reliably informed that the cocaine did leave Guyana but was not in a container. It was reportedly strapped onto a raft and placed in the vessel. According to the source, a large number of businesses usually use the vessel.