• The intercepted boat was carrying 22 bales of narcotic substances and was equipped with the necessary material for its subsequent stash.
• The intervention was carried out in the vicinity of the western islands by the ship 'Condor' of the Customs Surveillance Service, in the course of the patrol and surveillance tasks entrusted to it.
• As a result of the operation, its four crew members, of different nationalities, were arrested, including a Spanish citizen.

January 14, 2024.- Customs Surveillance Officials from the Tax Agency, in a joint operation with the National Police and the Civil Guard, have seized a semi-rigid boat with 500 kilos of cocaine in waters near the Canary Islands.

The operation took place on January 5, when Customs Surveillance officials boarded the 'Condor' patrol boat of the Tax Agency, in the exercise of their functions of prevention and repression of smuggling and drug trafficking, began navigation at 00:30 hours. patrolling to the southwest of the islands. The action was carried out in collaboration with the CITCO (Intelligence Center against Terrorism and Organized Crime) and the MAOC-N (Maritime Analysis and Operations Center on drug trafficking).

After an intense search exercise, at 2:30 p.m. of the same day, the patrol boat located in waters near the island of Hierro a small inflatable boat with an outboard motor heading to the south of the Canary Islands that raised suspicions for being outside the maritime space typical of this type of vessel and that, when the 'Condor' approached, it began an evasion maneuver.

Once the pursuit of the boat was completed, it was boarded by the patrol boat officials, who found in plain sight a considerable number of bags containing cocaine. In addition, various items of equipment such as gasoline cans, food, etc. were detected.

In total, 22 packages were seized, divided between burlap sacks and waterproof bags, whose total gross weight amounted to 519 kilos. The crew of the seized vessel, made up of a citizen of Spanish nationality, one of Colombian nationality and two of Moroccan nationality, were detained and transferred along with the cargo to the patrol boat 'Condor' for safekeeping, given the precarious state of the vessel. intercepted.

The next day, once docked at the port of Las Palmas, a joint team of Customs Surveillance, National Police and Civil Guard proceeded to unload the seized effects and bring the narcotic substance and the four detainees to judicial custody. The case is being heard by Central Court No. 1 of the National Court.