In the summer of 1983, a sleepy Welsh coastal town found itself the unlikely backdrop to a real-life thriller, reminiscent of a spy novel. Newport in Pembrokeshire, usually heralded for its tranquil beauty, became the epicentre of an international smuggling investigation that stretched from the Welsh coastline to the Middle East. At the heart of this intrigue was a remote beach, Pwll Coch, locally known as Seal Bay, harbouring secrets beneath its sands.
The plot thickened when local fisherman Andy Burgess noticed something odd—a tarpaulin hidden on this secluded beach, accessible only by sea. His discovery triggered one of Wales’ most sensational crime stories. From mysterious out-of-place luxury cars to strangers brandishing £50 notes in local pubs, the signs were there, but who could have envisioned the scale?
As the investigation unfolded, a covert hatch was found on another beach, leading to an underground room stocked with supplies and radio equipment—truly like a scene from James Bond. Detectives Derek Davies and Don Evans spearheaded the complex operation that would capture three men linked to this clandestine plot. Among them was Sam Spanggaard, a notorious drug trafficker with a face known across Europe. Yet curiously, the incriminating drugs remained elusive.
The story re-emerges in a gripping new documentary, “Ymgyrch Seal Bay,” exploring how this sleepy town became ensnared in a web of international intrigue. Locals and detectives share insights through rare interviews and re-enactments, reviving the haunting memories of that summer.
For those on the picturesque Pembrokeshire coast, these events of 1983 still linger in memory, a reminder of how an unimaginable tale unfolded in their own backyards, painting a picture of a community torn between loyalty and fear. The documentary is a riveting journey into the past where real life seemed to imitate fiction. Missed it? Catch the two-part series on iPlayer today!