No shots fired: Spanish commandos seize cocaine-laden boat in flawless operation
The U.S. DEA tipped off Spanish authorities, leading to the dramatic high-seas capture of a cargo ship packed with cocaine.
The Trump administration has recently made headlines for several strikes on boats allegedly transporting drug traffickers from Latin America, heightening tensions with Venezuela and Colombia. Meanwhile, in Europe, Spanish law enforcement successfully seized an estimated 14,300 pounds of cocaine from a cargo ship without firing a shot or harming anyone.
U.S. DEA tip helped coordinate the raid
The U.S. did, however, play a key role in the operation, which took place about 600 miles off the Canary Islands in the Atlantic. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration issued an alert on October 8, warning of an international criminal network moving large cocaine shipments across the Atlantic.
The vessel, flying a Tanzanian flag, was a supply ship normally used for logistical support. Authorities say it had been modified to hide narcotics, with hidden compartments and internal structures not typical of a standard cargo ship.
Interception before reaching Spain
After departing the Panamanian port of Cristóbal, the ship was reportedly headed for the port of Vigo on Spain’s northwestern coast. Spanish authorities, led by the Special Anti-Drug Prosecutor’s Office and supported by the Spanish Navy, intercepted the vessel on October 22 before it reached Spanish waters.
Crew arrested without incident
Special Operations Group officers boarded the ship from a Spanish military vessel, quickly secured it, and arrested all nine crew members without incident. Officials say the operation reflects ongoing international cooperation against maritime drug trafficking, a major route for moving cocaine from Latin America to Europe.
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