Cocaine baron jailed for 30 years

LONDON (Reuters) - A drugs baron dubbed The Milkman because he "always delivered" was jailed for 30 years on Tuesday after being found guilty of masterminding one of the biggest cocaine smuggling operations in British history.

Irish-born Brian Wright, 60, who oversaw an international operation worth hundreds of millions of pounds, is likely to die in prison, his lawyer told the court.

Customs officials said he used yachts to smuggle drug shipments in "probably the most sophisticated and successful global cocaine trafficking organisation ever to target the UK".

"Wright's millionaire lifestyle is now behind him," said Euan Stewart, of HM Revenue and Customs. "This lengthy jail sentence is vindication for the 11 years' hard work of our officers."

The sentencing marked the end of a long probe that covered Europe, South America, South Africa, the Caribbean and Australia.

Wright, who lived in Chelsea, west London amassed a reported 600 million pounds fortune and was well-known in gambling and horse-racing circles.

The investigation began in September 1996 when a converted fishing trawler went off her intended course towards the south coast of England and arrived in Cork in Ireland.

Irish customs officials found 599 kg of cocaine with a street value of 80 million pounds on board.

Customs mounted a surveillance operation which uncovered a well-organised outfit shipping cocaine from South America and the Caribbean to Britain.