OPERATION 'EYEFUL': TWO JAILED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING

17 Dec 2002 04:45 PM

Gang jailed for total of 145 years

A woman today received one of the longest jail sentences ever handed down to a female drugs trafficker. Julie Patterson was jailed for 24 years and Frederic Fillingham received a jail term of 18 years for their part in an attempt to smuggle 400 kgs of almost all pure cocaine, with a street value of £90 million, by yacht to the Isle of Wight from the southern Caribbean Island Bequia.

Julie Anne Paterson, (46) British, living in Parham, Antigua but originally from Norfolk, was actively involved in preparing the 'Blue Hen' Yacht for sail and used her sailing skills to brief the crew on use of navigational equipment and landing sites. She is the former girlfriend of Michael Tyrell who was sentenced in March 2002 to 26 years for his part in organising the importation attempt. Paterson was a member of the party observed by Customs officers waiting for the drugs to arrive on the Isle of Wight beach.

Frederic Fillingham , (43) American, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA sentenced to 18 years. Fillingham was on the run from the US authorities for violating his 15-year parole having been convicted for drug smuggling. As well as recruiting others as crew, he used his boat building skills to make the boat used, the Blue Hen, fit for the transatlantic voyage. Paterson and Fillingham were found hiding together in the grounds of a local holiday complex and arrested by Customs Officers in the early hours of 23 October 2000.

These convictions mean all of the eight people arrested in October 2000 as part of Customs and Excise Law Enforcement Operation 'Eyeful' have been jailed and brings the combined prison sentence to 145 years. It also brings an end to prosecutions brought as a result of this operation.

The conviction of Paterson and Fillingham follow the earlier convictions of Michael Tyrell, Robert Kavanagh, Dider Lebrun, Laurent Penchef and German Henao in March 2002 all for drugs trafficking offences and that of Jill Fuller in April 2002, the wife of Michael Tyrell, for money laundering offences.

Assistant Chief Investigation Officer for Customs and Excise, Jim Fitzpatrick said:

"This gang tried to smuggle a huge quantity of cocaine into the UK and have received jail terms that reflect the seriousness of their crimes. We will now ensure that we go after every penny we can identify has been made from their drugs trafficking.

"The excellent co-operation between staff at Customs and Excise and the National Crime Squad has ensured that an international drug smuggling gang has been broken up and the drugs are off the streets of the United Kingdom.

"Class A drugs not only have the potential to destroy the lives of those who buy them and their loved ones, but also to those who traffick in them, as can be seen from the severity of the sentences passed today."

NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The defendants were arrested in the early hours of the morning on 23 October 2000 following an intensive three-month surveillance operation on the principal Michael Tyrrell. In December 1999, Tyrrell purchased Orchard Bay House near Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. This is one of the only properties in the country to have a private beach and was purchased by Tyrrell with the intention of using it to land the drugs.

The operation code-named "Eyeful" culminated as officers awaited the arrival of the yacht 'Blue Hen' from the Caribbean. Ironically after over a 3000 mile, 32-day Atlantic crossing the operation took an unexpected twist. The yacht crew launched their inflatable dinghy off St Catherine's Point with the drugs on board but the engine failed. Adverse weather conditions and strong tidal currents forced the inflatable 1 mile from its destination to land at the remote beach of Woody Bay.

As customs and police watched, the smugglers made desperate attempts to haul the consignment along the treacherous cliff path to Tyrrell's home. However Customs and police struck seizing 400 kilos of cocaine worth up to £90 million, one of the largest hauls of cocaine in recent years. The investigation spanned over 14 different countries, including Europe, America and the Caribbean, helping to smash this international drugs organisation.

Issued by Customs and Excise Communication Division

For the attention of News Desks
Anyone with information about illegally imported drugs, tobacco or alcohol or about VAT fraud can speak to a Customs officer in complete confidence. Call Customs Confidential 24 hours a day on 0800 59 5000 www.hmce.gov.uk