Five men deny smuggling two tonnes of cocaine found on yacht

A trial date has been set for March next year

Five men have denied drug trafficking offences after more than two tonnes of cocaine were seized on board a luxury yacht.

The Nicaraguan nationals are accused of being knowingly concerned in the supply or concealing of a class A drug.

They each pleaded not guilty during a brief hearing at Plymouth Crown Court on Monday.

A sixth defendant, Andrew Cole, 32, from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, did not enter a plea.

Billy Downs, 49, Denson White-Morales, 34, Edwin Taylor-Morgan, 40, Brynie Sjogreen, 38, and Ryan Taylor, 42, all from Nicaragua, all pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The drugs were seized from the yacht Kahu 80 miles (129km) off Plymouth in September.

It is alleged the men knew or had reasonable grounds to suspect that the drugs were intended to be imported or had been exported in contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Plymouth Magistrates' Court heard previously the cocaine had an estimated street value of £160m.

Judge Robert Linford fixed a trial date for 9 March 2022 and remanded all six defendants into custody.