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Two sailboats loaded with more than 1,100 kilos of cocaine intercepted in waters west of the Canary Islands

Operation of the Tax Agency, Civil Guard and National Police

  • The two vessels have been boarded by the Special Operations Vessel 'Fulmar' of the Customs Surveillance Service

March 8, 2023 .- The Tax Agency, within the framework of a joint operation with the Civil Guard and the National Police, has intercepted a sailboat, named 'My Love' who was carrying a load of cocaine. After the boarding by the Special Operations Vessel 'Fulmar' of the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency, the two crew members, of Spanish nationality, were arrested.

The crew and the sailboat have been transferred to the port of Tenerife to be brought to justice. In the framework of another investigation, a second sailboat has been boarded, also with narcotics, so that the amount seized on the two sailboats adds up to a total of more than 1,100 kilos of cocaine.

Within the framework of the surveillance and prevention actions that are usually carried out, and through the international communication system between the MAOC-N and the CITCO, information is received from the US DEA, with the collaboration of the British NCA, which would indicate that a sailboat named 'My Love' could be found near the position of the ship 'Fulmar'. As a consequence of the above, the Customs Surveillance Service patrolman receives instructions to go to that vessel in demand, which is located and boarded on the afternoon of March 3, about 350 miles from Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

On the ship 'My Love' with the Belgian flag, it could be seen with the naked eye that it was transporting an undetermined amount of bales normally used to transport cocaine. After obtaining authorization from the Belgian authorities, the sailboat was boarded, the cocaine that the vessel was carrying was seized, and its two crew members, of Spanish nationality, were arrested. This operation has been directed and coordinated by the Anti-Drug Prosecutor's Office of the National Court and the Central Investigative Court number 5 of the National Court.

Boarding and towing difficulties

It turns out that the 'Fulmar' ship was immersed in another operation, the result of which a first sailboat that was also carrying cocaine had previously been seized, and that it was being towed to the Canary Islands within the framework of a joint investigation. of the three police forces, an action that remains open.

The conditions of both assaults have been very complicated, due, in the first case, to the sea situation, and in the second, to the handicap of taking the first sailboat involved in tow, which made the maneuvers much more difficult. .

Despite this, the quick action and experience of the SVA agents involved prevented incidents from occurring and allowed the operation to be successful in one of the rare occasions in which a double intervention is carried out in the same naval operation.

Both the detainees, the boats, the drugs and the police proceedings will be brought to justice. These operations are two more of those carried out by the troops dedicated to the repression of drug trafficking in the so-called 'Atlantic Route' of cocaine, known for being used by fishing vessels, merchant vessels and, as in this case, sailboats from South America that seek the introduction of the narcotic on the European continent.

Filming of operation (to download the video you must enter the following web address):

https://we.tl/t-3Tya2bL0tu