Five arrested

The Tax Agency and the Civil Guard intercepted a fishing boat carrying around 3,000 kilos of cocaine on the high seas in the early hours of 21 February. The place of capture is located more than 1,000 miles from Galicia. The ship's five crew members were arrested in the operation.

The operation, called 'Marine', began several months ago and led to the detection of the suspicious vessel, its tracking and subsequent boarding and arrest of its crew. The detainees and the seized drugs have been transported to Vigo under the custody of the Tax Agency and the Civil Guard on board the Tax Agency's Special Operations Vessel "Petrel", arriving this morning at the port of Vigo. The final weighing of the drugs is taking place today.

The fishing boat carrying the drugs planned to transfer them to a speedboat, which it would also supply with gasoline. The latter was detected leaving the Arousa estuary on the morning of the 21st.

When the transfer of the substances was frustrated, the boat fled towards the Madeira Archipelago where they abandoned the vessel. At this time, with the collaboration of the Portuguese Judicial Police, efforts are being made to try to identify and locate the crew members.

The drugs and the detainees have been placed at the disposal of the investigating court number 3 of Vigo.