1: The Seamist

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A force nine gale off the coast of County Cork leads to a late-night report of a vessel behaving oddly in Cork Harbour. When Irish Customs board the Sea Mist, they uncover 600 kilos of cocaine hidden inside a dumb-waiter shaft. The seizure becomes one of the largest in Irish history and draws intense media attention as the crew appear in court in the small town of Cobh. Evidence recovered on board — including a UK mobile phone number and a handheld GPS tracing a route from Venezuela across the Atlantic — points investigators towards Britain. Former HMCE officer Barry Clarke describes how the case begins to focus on a cautious, elusive figure with Irish roots: Brian Brendan Wright, known as The Milkman. Set against the backdrop of 1990s Britain, where cocaine use is rising rapidly, the Sea Mist becomes the starting point for a long-running investigation into international cartels, middlemen and maritime smuggling — and the man accused of supplying industrial quantities of cocaine to the UK. Credits Presenter: Livvy Haydock Series Producer: Louise Clarke Producer: Patrick Kiteley Journalism Assistants: Tim Fernley and Hattie Valentine Technical producer and sound designer: Nicky Edwards Commissioning Editor: Louise Kattenhorn Commissioning Producer: Sam Proffitt Editor and Executive Producer: Tara McDermott