Two men have appeared in court charged with illegal smuggling after £37 million of cocaine was seized from a boat.

Bruce Knowles, 55, from Dereham, and Ferhat Gumrukguoglu, 31, from the Netherlands, were arrested after a rigid hulled inflatable boat was intercepted off the coast near Benacre Broad, just south of Lowestoft. 

350 kilos of cocaine worth £37 million were discovered hidden on a speedboat350 kilos of cocaine worth £37 million were discovered hidden on a speedboat (Image: National Crime Agency)

The operation, which was part of a National Crime Agency investigation, saw 350 kilos of cocaine found hidden under tarpaulin.

Investigators believe the vessel had travelled out to sea where it had met a larger ship and collected the drugs.

READ MORE: Norfolk man arrested after police find £37m cocaine stash

Gumrukguoglu entered no plea to the illegal importing of a controlled drug when he appeared at Norwich Magistrates’ Court.

Investigators intercepted the boat off East Benacre Broads near Lowestoft Investigators intercepted the boat off East Benacre Broads near Lowestoft (Image: Mike Page)

Prosecutors said someone found to have a leading role had a starting point of 14 years imprisonment. 

Magistrates committed the case to be heard at Ipswich Crown Court with a preliminary hearing on July 23. They remanded him in custody.

Knowles had previously also been committed to Ipswich Crown Court on the same date.