Joint operation of the Tax Agency, National Police and Civil Guard

• It was hidden, along with four bales containing the narcotic substance, in the anchor compartment of a Greek-flagged cargo ship that was making a crossing from Colombia to Turkey.
• It intended to carry out the 'drop off' technique, since the bales had geolocation devices attached to them so they could be picked up by their recipients in Spanish waters.

February 15, 2023.- Customs Surveillance Officials of the Tax Agency, in a joint operation with the National Police and the Civil Guard, have arrested a stowaway who was transporting four bales with 99 packages of cocaine weighing 109 kilos in the anchor compartment of a freighter. He intended to carry out the 'drop off' technique since each of the bales had geolocation devices attached to them so they could be picked up by their recipients in Spanish waters.

The first investigations began when, through international cooperation mechanisms, the agents received information from the Greek authorities, reporting the presence of a person on board a merchant ship, specifically inside a cabin that was difficult to access, in the anchor area, with signs of being able to transport drugs.

From Colombia to Türkiye

The merchant ship had planned to slow down in the area of the Strait of Gibraltar to refuel, at which time the Spanish authorities verified the veracity of the information received. Once the ship was intercepted and docked, a person was located in the anchor compartment and, next to him, a total of 99 packages of cocaine divided into four bales, for which he was arrested as the alleged perpetrator of a Crime against public health.

The investigation determined that the man had accessed the ship by climbing the mooring ropes, when it was leaving Colombia, introducing the bales of cocaine aided by several people whose identity is being investigated.

I intended to use the 'drop off' technique

The agents' investigations made it possible to detect geolocation devices attached to the bales, with which the drugs were intended to be delivered by the 'drop off' method. In this way, the drugs would be thrown into the sea and later collected by other members of the criminal organization guided by the geolocation devices.