Cambridgeshire cocaine boat to be auctioned

A boat moored in Huntingdon and used to store vast amounts of cocaine is to be auctioned, after its drug dealer owner was ordered to repay the money he had made illegally.

Ben Cunningham, 49, formerly of Wyton Moorings, Banks End, was jailed for eight years in August 2023 for his role in a criminal network selling drugs across Cambridgeshire.

An investigation led by ERSOU's Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) found that he had used the San Periel boat, which was moored on the River Great Ouse, to store blocks of high purity cocaine.

Investigators searching the vessel after arresting Cunningham found cocaine with a potential street value of £470,000, along with more than £13,000 in cash and cannabis worth £7,000.

Detectives established that Cunningham was a local link to an organised crime group (OCG) which moved and sold cocaine across the UK. Two other members of the network were also jailed for a combined 24 years.

Following Cunningham’s conviction, specialist financial investigators from ERSOU’s economic crime unit began enquiries to establish how much he had earned through the criminality, identifying he had made £249,456.98 through illegal means.

At a Cambridge Crown Court hearing yesterday (Thursday), Cunningham was ordered to repay an initial £36,514.60 – the value of the money and assets he currently has available – or face additional time behind bars.

Enquiries will continue in the future, should he come in to more money that could also be repaid.

Financial Investigation Manager Jemima Cholmondeley-Smith, from ERSOU, said: “After it was proven that Cunningham was involved in a criminal network buying and selling drugs on a commercial scale, it was important that we took steps to take back the money he’d made illicitly.

“Our specialist investigators then built a picture of the huge sums Cunningham was making, finding that he was living a lavish lifestyle, frequently dining out and staying in expensive hotels. He paid no regard to the damage being caused within our communities through the drugs he was profiting from.

“Using Proceeds of Crime Act legislation, we’ll continue to pursue the finances and assets of those profiting through activity such as drug dealing.”