3,300 Kilos of Cocaine Found on Fishing Boat Off Canary Islands

Authorities from Spain, Portugal, the United States, and Brazil have joined forces to intercept a massive shipment of cocaine on the high seas. In a dramatic operation carried out by Spain’s Customs Surveillance Service (Servicio de Vigilancia Aduanera) in collaboration with the National Police, the DEA, Portugal’s Polícia Judiciária, and Brazil’s Federal Police, a Venezuelan-flagged fishing vessel was intercepted west of the Canary Islands with a staggering haul of 3,300 kilograms of cocaine.

The Interception

The bust occurred approximately 1,852 kilometers (1,000 nautical miles) off the coast of the Canary Islands. The Special Operations Vessel Petrel, a customs surveillance ship, intercepted the fishing boat after receiving intelligence suggesting its involvement in international drug trafficking. Upon boarding, authorities discovered 110 bales of cocaine, each weighing about 30 kilograms.

The vessel’s crew, consisting of ten individuals—nine Venezuelans and one Colombian—were arrested on-site. Due to the vessel’s poor condition, which included severe water leaks, it was deemed unsafe for towing and was ultimately scuttled.

The Investigation

The operation was launched in November after the U.S. DEA provided a tip-off about a criminal organization planning to transport a large cocaine shipment across the Atlantic. Intelligence suggested that a Venezuelan-flagged fishing vessel had departed South America, bound for Spanish shores, to deliver its illicit cargo.

Subsequent investigations revealed the ship’s plan to transfer the drugs to another fishing vessel, likely flying a Spanish flag, in a mid-ocean rendezvous. Spanish authorities, coordinating with their international counterparts, designed a strategy to intercept the vessel before the drugs could be redistributed.

The High-Seas Pursuit

On November 29, the Petrel detected the target vessel traveling without lights, consistent with the modus operandi of drug traffickers attempting to evade detection. As the customs vessel closed in, crew members of the fishing boat were seen throwing bales of cocaine overboard in an effort to discard evidence.

Once boarded, law enforcement officials secured the drugs and detained the crew. The interception was a high-stakes maneuver to ensure the cocaine did not reach European shores, where its distribution would fuel organized crime networks.

Outcome and Significance

The seized cocaine, valued at hundreds of millions of euros on the black market, represents a significant blow to the drug trafficking network. Authorities highlighted the importance of international collaboration in dismantling such operations.

The arrested crew members have been taken to the Spanish port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, along with the confiscated drugs. The operation underscores the continuing challenge of combating international drug smuggling, particularly via maritime routes.