New police boat to help tackle people smuggling and drugs arriving via the Devon and Cornwall coastline
The new boat is part of a Home Office programme to tackle serious organised crime
A new Government funded support boat is now being used by Devon and Cornwall Police's Marine Policing and Underwater Search team to tackle things like illegal immigration and drugs smuggling.
The new boat, named Neptune, is described as' a significant upgrade to the force’s current marine capability, offering an improved ability to respond to calls for service and patrol the coastline even in severe weather conditions'.
Chief Constable James Vaughan said: “The boat will give us much greater visibility on the water, and help to deter helping all manner of anti-social behaviour and criminality including organised immigration crime
“That could be anything from the theft of lobster pots right up to counter-terrorism operations and the activities of organised criminal gangs smuggling drugs or people.
“Our coast has hundreds of historically important wrecks, some of which are scheduled monuments or war graves. The presence of Neptune will help to protect our heritage by deterring rogue divers from plundering these sites.
“As a coastal police Force, we work closely with partners such as the RNLI and HM Coastguard and Neptune will significantly strengthen the part we play in keeping our coastline safe.”
"Part of the Home Office’s programme to tackle serious organised crime, the Neptune will enhance the Force’s response to maritime threats including drugs smuggling and organised immigration crime, while also boosting coastal safety.
"It will be operated by the Force’s team of specially trained marine police officers, who are responsible for responding to incidents on the water, as well as using their expert knowledge to investigate marine-related crimes.
"It’s a sad fact that although the waters around our two counties are beautiful, they can also be hazardous and every year the police dive team are called to help recover victims.
"Neptune is significantly larger and more stable than the inflatable boats the Force has been using, which will enable the team to stay at sea longer conducting operations.
"It is equipped with state-of-the-art marine electronics, including a long-range stabilised infra-red HD camera and a remotely operated vehicle, an underwater drone, that can search in more tricky conditions.
"Neptune is a versatile vessel and will be used for a variety of purposes, including water searches, identifying offences and anti-social behaviour at sea and on water, transporting specially trained officers and specialist equipment to incidents and providing reassurance patrols along the coastline."