Three men have been sentenced at Taunton Crown Court following the discovery of over £26 million worth of cocaine aboard a boat in Somerset. Craig Nuttall, 51, and his brother Raymond Nuttall, 47, both from Preston, Lancashire, arrived at a Somerset marina on July 23, 2025, claiming to be selling a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) named ‘Guzzla’. They informed the marina manager they intended to spend a few days fishing.
On July 30, the brothers were joined by Anestis Tsepa, 24, from Thessaloniki, and Melios Delvina, 38, from Albania. Raymond Nuttall was observed driving a van to the quayside and unloading two jerry cans and a hose. That evening, Craig Nuttall, Tsepa, and Delvina set out to sea on the RHIB wearing lifejackets.
Later investigations revealed audio from Tsepa’s device that detailed plans to collect a “sea drop” of cocaine from a larger vessel, known as a mother ship. The group discussed tracking the mother ship and awaited its signal before retrieving the drug packages.
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Returning to the marina at 1 a.m., the men attempted to secure the boat to a trailer driven by Raymond Nuttall, when National Crime Agency (NCA) officers arrested all four on suspicion of importing Class A drugs.
A search of the ‘Guzzla’ uncovered 14 large packages containing 322 smaller one-kilogram packages of cocaine, with a purity level of 89%. The drugs’ estimated street value was £26.5 million. Officers also found a firearm aboard the boat.
During interviews, both Nuttall brothers and Tsepa declined to comment, while Delvina, claiming unemployment, stated he was unaware of the drug shipment and had only helped unload items into a van.
All four men eventually pleaded guilty to cocaine importation charges; Tsepa also admitted possession of a firearm and ammunition. Sentencing delivered 11 years and 3 months to Raymond Nuttall, 11 years and 2 months to Craig Nuttall, and 16 years to Tsepa. Delvina’s sentencing is scheduled for December 11.
NCA regional head of investigations Gavin Webb commented, “This was an organised crime operation using the cover of darkness to smuggle a significant quantity of cocaine destined for UK streets. Their greed was evident, as was their readiness to use firearms to protect their operation. Our dedicated teams, alongside Border Force, regional organised crime units, and local police, are committed to disrupting such drug imports to keep these criminals behind bars.”