Spanish police have seized 6.5 tonnes of cocaine and arrested nine people in a major maritime drug bust off the Canary Islands. The operation, conducted a few days ago, was made possible through critical intelligence shared by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
According to a police statement released on Sunday, the massive haul was discovered in the hold of a ship sailing under the Tanzanian flag. The vessel had reportedly departed from Panama and was en route to Vigo, a port city in north-western Spain. Authorities suspect the ship was part of a sophisticated international drug trafficking network operating between Latin America and Europe.
The DEA provided “key information” that guided Spanish authorities to intercept the vessel in the Atlantic Ocean before it could reach the European mainland. The nine individuals on board were detained, and the ship was escorted to port for a full inspection.
Spain serves as one of the main gateways for cocaine entering Europe due to its close ties with Latin American countries where most of the world’s cocaine is produced and its strategic position on the southwestern edge of the continent. The latest seizure highlights the ongoing efforts by Spanish law enforcement to combat drug trafficking through its waters.
This bust comes nearly a year after Spain’s largest-ever cocaine seizure in October 2023, when police discovered 13 tonnes of the drug concealed within a banana shipment at the southern port of Algeciras.
Authorities have intensified maritime surveillance in the Atlantic following a rise in drug trafficking attempts from South America to Europe. The latest successful joint operation between Spanish police and the DEA underscores the importance of international cooperation in tackling the global narcotics trade.
