Agents from the GEO unit of Spain's National Police intercepted a merchant vessel in the Atlantic carrying 6,500 kilos of hidden cocaine, 600 miles from the Canary Islands. The operation, tipped off by the US DEA, led to the arrest of nine crew members. The Tanzanian-flagged ship was heading to the port of Vigo.
The seizure took place on Tuesday, October 22, around 9:30 p.m., when agents from the Special Operations Group (GEO) boarded the vessel from a Spanish military ship in the Atlantic Ocean, about 600 miles (1,111 kilometers) from the Canary Islands. The ship, over 54 meters long and flying the Tanzanian flag, was carrying approximately 6,500 kilos of cocaine hidden in holds with internal structures adapted for concealment, unusual for a conventional supply-type cargo vessel.
The operation was directed by the Special Anti-Drug Prosecutor's Office of the National Court, with involvement from the Spanish Navy. It stemmed from an alert by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on October 8, which spotted activities of an international criminal organization trafficking cocaine from Latin America to Europe. The shipment had departed from the Panamanian port of Cristóbal Anch.
Without incident, the nine crew members were arrested and the vessel secured. It will now be towed to Arinaga Port in Gran Canaria for thorough inspections and final weighing of the drugs. Spain's National Police emphasizes that this action is part of international cooperation against maritime drug trafficking, a major route for criminal groups. The Prosecutor's Office views the seizure as a “significant blow” to the investigated group's logistics, and continues identifying culprits in Spain and abroad.