Five men jailed for attempting £34m cocaine smuggle into Eastbourne

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 17:03 · Archive

Five men have been sentenced to between six and sixteen years in prison for attempting to smuggle nearly half a tonne of cocaine into Eastbourne Sovereign Harbour.

Five men have been sentenced to prison for attempting to smuggle nearly half a tonne of cocaine into Eastbourne Sovereign Harbour in June 2026. All admitted to conspiring to fraudulently evade prohibition on the importation of the Class A drug. The drugs were deposited in the English Channel and fitted with a GPS tracker so the defendants could locate and retrieve them before bringing them to the harbour. The National Crime Agency valued the seizure at £34m.

Alan John Colquhoun, 49, from Clackmannanshire, Scotland, and William Donohoe, 38, from Airdrie, Scotland, were each sentenced to 16 years. Judge Jeremy Gold KC said both men 'had a leading role in the enterprise' and their military backgrounds made them 'well-equipped' to organise the operation. The prosecutor described them as 'trusted logistics men' working for an organised crime group with international reach.

Ian Smith, 49, and Jacob Cronin, 31, both from Eastbourne, and Daniel Ruffell, 35, from Slough received shorter sentences. Smith was sentenced to 12 years, Ruffell to eight years, and Cronin to six years and eight months. Judge Gold said all defendants received a one-third reduction in their sentences after pleading guilty at the first available opportunity.

How it is being reported

• Five jailed over bid to smuggle cocaine worth £34m into Eastbourne MarinaFive men who admitted to smuggling nearly half a tonne of cocaine into Eastbourne Marina have been jailed.Sussex Express · 23 Oct, 16:40
• Men sentenced for attempted £34m cocaine boat smuggleMultiple parcels of the Class A drug were found onboard a fishing vessel in Eastbourne in June 2026.BBC Sussex · 23 Oct, 15:26

In this story: Alan Colquhoun · William Donohoe · Ian Smith · Jacob Cronin · Daniel Ruffell · Eastbourne Sovereign Harbour · National Crime Agency · Hove Trial Centre

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