BMF/SOCA targets RIB use by organised crime

[John Kennett]

From Boating Business 28 July 2008:

RIB RAIDERS: A joint taskforce has been set up to tackle the use of RIBs by organised crime. According to the British Marine Federation (BMF) and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), RIBs manufactured in the UK are being used by criminal gangs to smuggle drugs, firearms and people.

RIBs offer the criminal fraternity the ideal combination of speed, manoeuvrability and stability under load and SOCA has intelligence that craft manufactured in the UK are being used to transport drugs, arms or people across the Channel into the UK and for criminal activity in other parts of Europe.

And these are not small time operations. Only last week three members of a drugs smuggling gang were convicted of attempting to smuggle 1.5 tonnes of cocaine worth €1.2bn into Ireland using a RIB. It seems the bust was a bit of an own goal after the gang attempted to run the boat's Yamaha outboards on diesel fuel, which rather hampered their high speed dash into the Irish coast with the booty.

More . . .

John

[Richard B]

That task force had better pull their finger out... there are criminals out there...