A major international drug trafficking operation has been uncovered resulting in the seizure of 3,300 kilograms of cocaine and the arrest of ten crew members aboard a Venezuelan-flagged fishing vessel west of the Canary Islands.
The precarious condition of the boat, which had two open leaks, led authorities to sink it after the operation.
The joint operation, conducted by the Customs Surveillance Service, the National Police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Portugal’s Polícia Judiciária, and Brazil’s Federal Police, was overseen by Spain’s Special Anti-Drug Prosecutor’s Office.
Intelligence Operation Led to Interception
The investigation began in mid-November following intelligence shared by the DEA about an international criminal organisation planning to transport a large cocaine shipment across the Atlantic.
The ship, acting as a "mother vessel," departed from a South American port and was en route to transfer the drugs to another fishing boat or boats to smuggle the narcotics to Spanish shores.
On November 29th, a surveillance ship, Petrel, intercepted the unlit fishing vessel heading toward Spain. The crew was seen discarding bundles overboard, which were later confirmed to contain drugs. Upon boarding, agents discovered 110 bundles of cocaine weighing approximately 30 kilograms each, totalling more than 3,300 kilograms, with a street value of around €33 million.
Arrests and Environmental Concerns
The arrested crew included nine Venezuelans and one Colombian. Due to the vessel's poor condition, which made towing it to port impossible, authorities decided to sink it, ensuring the safety of the crew and preventing potential environmental hazards.
The detainees and the seized cocaine were transported to the port of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, where they remain in custody under the jurisdiction of the National High Court of Spain.
International Collaboration
The successful operation highlights the importance of international cooperation in combating transnational drug trafficking. It also underscores the strategic significance of the Canary Islands as a potential entry point for narcotics into Europe.
Authorities continue investigations to dismantle the wider network behind this smuggling operation.
