Pair deny charges after pub car park cocaine haul

Drugs were believed to have been transferred from a ship sailing off the coast at Easington, police said

Two men have denied drugs charges after half a tonne (500kg) of cocaine was found in an East Yorkshire village pub car park.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the drugs, found in a van in the car park of the Stags Head Inn in Lelley on 4 May, were believed to have been transferred from a ship sailing off the coast of Hull.

Four men, three from Scotland and a Colombian national, appeared at Hull Crown Court on Wednesday.

Anthony McAllister, 33, of Aldersyde, Taynuilt, and Mark Moran, 22, of Glenfyne Terrace, Ardrishaig, pleaded not guilty to the importation and supply of cocaine.

Cocaine was found in a van in a pub car park in Lelley, East Yorkshire, NCA officers said

Daniel Livingstone, 25, of Calton Avenue, Campbeltown, admitted a charge of conspiracy to import a quantity of cocaine between 1 March and 4 May with other unknown people.

However, he denied another charge of conspiracy to supply cocaine relating to 4 May.

Colombian national Didier Tordecilla Reyes, 39, of no fixed abode, did not enter any pleas at the hearing as he is applying to change his solicitor.

A plea and trial preparation for Mr Reyes is to be fixed for a later date following a hearing next week in Grimsby in relation to his application to change solicitor.

The judge, Mr Recorder Anthony Dunne, remanded all four men into custody.

He set a 10-day trial for 21 October.

Mr Recorder Dunne told Livingstone he would not have to stand trial for the supply charge as he had entered a guilty plea for importation of cocaine.

"Your sentence will follow the trial of your co-accused," he said.