Two men who tried to smuggle cocaine through Fishguard harbour with a potential street value of £240 million have been jailed today (Monday).

Gary Swift, aged 53, was jailed for 19 and a half years and Scott Kilgour, 41, for 13 and a half years.

Their yacht the Atrevido was intercepted by Border Force officers half a mile out to sea and they found 751 kilos of cocaine “hidden in every available space.”

Both men, from Liverpool, admitted attempting to import the drugs from the South American state of Suriname.

Judge Paul Thomas, sitting at Swansea crown court, told the pair, “You took a massive gamble and lost.”

Paul Mitchell, prosecuting, said Swift was the prime mover.

On the face of it he was a bankrupt builder but managed to buy an ocean going yacht, the Mistral, and register it in the name of another man.

Swift sailed the Mistral to Suriname and back to Fishguard on what could be regarded as a dummy run, said Mr Mitchell.

The Mistral slipped its anchor and became grounded. Swift seemed to show little interest in recovering it and officers found on board sophisticated anti surveillance devices.

In 2018 Swift, now of no fixed address, bought the Atrevido for 50,000 Euros, and had it registered in Kilgour’s name as he was still a bankrupt.

Mr Mitchell said a Border Force team was able to track the Atrevido to Portugal and Tenerife, partly via Swift’s mobile telephone, and by July 20, 2019, it was in Suriname, which he described as “a well established hub for the movement of cocaine.”

Swift and Kilgour took on board 751 blocks of cocaine, each weighing about a kilo. It was up to 83% pure and had a wholesale value of £24m and a street value of £60m if sold in that form.

But, added Mr Mitchell, it would have been “cut down” and could have made four times as much.

The pair left Surname and on August 25 the Atrevida was off St Davids.

At 2.38am the following day Swift made a last telephone call as the Border Force cutter approached.

As officers boarded the yacht Swift immediately told them, “It’s obvious I’m in a lot of trouble. I’m the bad one here. I’m just glad its over. It’s not good for my blood pressure.”

Mr Mitchell said officers found cocaine stuffed “into every available space, including the fridge.”

Checks on the men’s mobile telephones revealed that Swift had boasted about buying a house in Suriname with a swimming pool once they had completed the deal and Kilgour had sent his partner a list of what he would buy with his “wages.”

Their barrister, Antony Barraclough, said the pair were not at the top of the scheme. Swift had been a successful builder and made money renovating a hotel in Chester, but he had run into financial difficulties and lost his money and his wife.

Kilgour, of Bedford Close, Liverpool, had allowed his name to be used in the purchase of the Atrevida and had helped to crew the vessel.

Both men, said Mr Barraclough, had to live in fear that someone “was not pleased” at losing so much cocaine.

Judge Thomas said they had tried to import a massive amount of cocaine that would have led to misery and degradation of those who used it.

“Swift was the organiser and the driving force, a man who had brought two boats in the names of others and purchased anti surveillance equipment.

“This was high level criminal activity. You knew how high the stakes were and what the consequences would be if you were caught,” he added.

Mr Mitchell said the authorities would apply for the confiscation of the Atrevida.