The fight against drug trafficking

•  The seven crew members of the 'Gure Leire' fishing boat have been arrested, all of Spanish nationality
•  At the same time that the maritime operation was taking place, three addresses were searched in the Vizcaya towns of Ondarroa and Berriatua
•  The operation, named operation 'Tiburón' (Shark), is being led by Central Investigative Court No. 1 of the National Court and the Counternarcotics Prosecutor's Office

June 3, 2019.- The Tax Agency has intercepted a Spanish-flagged fishing boat named 'Gure Leire' about 1,000 miles west of Vigo when it was transporting 84 bales of cocaine weighing approximately 2,500 kilos. The fishing boat, which investigators confirmed was heading to Galicia, was searched on 27 May by the Tax Agency's Special Operations Boat, 'Fulmar', and its seven crew members were arrested, all of Spanish nationality.

The operation, dubbed 'Tiburón' (Shark) is being led by Central Investigative Court No. 1 and the National Court's Counternarcotics Prosecutor's Office. It originated from an investigation carried out by the Galician Customs Surveillance Department of the Tax Agency, in coordination with the General Operations Sub-Directorate of the Customs and Excise Duties Department, and during the development of the 'Pascal Atlántico 2019' joint air and sea surveillance operation between the French and Spanish customs services.

The operation was also assisted by the British authorities (NCA) and the Maritime Drug Trafficking Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC-N) in Lisbon, and supported by the Intelligence Centre for Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime (CITCO).

Destination Galicia

The investigation began in April, when the Customs Surveillance Maritime Intelligence Office of Galicia detected the entry of a fishing boat in the port of A Coruña, raising suspicion among Customs Surveillance staff. This is when surveillance began on the vessel, which ended up unloading the drug somewhere in the North Atlantic.

According to the investigation, the drugs originated in South America and the fishing boat headed to the coasts of Galicia to unload. Previously, a mother vessel leaving the Suriname coasts would have transferred the cargo to the fishing vessel at an agreed point, thus following the practice of transshipment, common among criminal organisations that use the sea to introduce narcotics into Europe.

Once the suitable naval air device was established for the interception, agreed on between the Spanish and French customs services, the 'Fulmar' ship of the Tax Agency located the fishing boat, a 22-metre-long vessel which had already been raising suspicions for several years due to its potential link to organisations dedicated to drug trafficking.

The 'Fulmar' crew, made up of special Customs Surveillance operations officers, ended up intercepting the vessel and detaining its seven crew members, all of them Spanish nationals.

After locating the drugs in the vessel's cold stores, 'Fulmar' began the journey to the port of Vigo under difficult maritime conditions, which led to the need to tow the fishing boat at low speed for several days due to the risk of sinking.

Searches in Vizcaya

While the maritime operation was being carried out, Customs Surveillance personnel proceeded to search three residences in the towns of Ondarroa and Berriatua (Vizcaya) under judicial authorisation.

The vessel seized, together with the detainees and the drugs, have been brought before the court to proceed with the actions required under Central Investigative Court No.1 of the National Court. The operation and investigations remain open.