A fishing boat carrying more than 1,500 kilos of cocaine was intercepted in waters south of the Canary Islands
Operation of the Tax Agency, National Police and Civil Guard
- The boarding was carried out by the patrol boat 'Cóndor' of the Customs Surveillance Service 150 miles from the islands
- Six crew members of the Brazilian-flagged ship arrested
- The drug was hidden in a specially built compartment in the fishing boat's engine room.
May 12, 2023.- The Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency, the National Police and the Civil Guard, in a joint operation, have intercepted 150 miles from the Canary Islands a fishing boat, named 'Efesios 5-20', 25 meters long and flying the Brazilian flag, which was carrying more than 1,500 kilos of cocaine distributed in 60 bales, according to initial estimates.
The boarding by the Customs Surveillance patrol boat 'Cóndor', which was carrying National Police and Civil Guard agents, was carried out in a context of harsh weather conditions. During the course of the operation, six crew members of the fishing boat were arrested: five of them Brazilian, including its captain, and one Venezuelan.
The narcotic substance was found in a specially constructed compartment in the fishing boat's engine room to conceal it and make it difficult to find during a possible inspection of the vessel. The choice of the engine room is not a coincidence on the part of the criminal groups, given the working conditions there, due to the noise of the machinery and the high temperatures.
The operation, the result of international collaboration through the Center for Analysis against Maritime Drug Trafficking in the Atlantic (MAOC) and coordinated by the Center for Intelligence on Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO), was carried out under very adverse conditions due to the existence of a force 7 storm and strong winds.
In addition to the weather conditions, there is the added difficulty of sailing back to port with a fishing boat in poor condition, with a leak in the engine room, and whose engines stopped in the middle of the night.
The operation culminates today with the arrival of the 'Cóndor' and its prey at the port of Las Palmas for the unloading of the drugs and the placing of the detainees at the disposal of the courts by Customs Surveillance, National Police and Civil Guard.
Atlantic route
This operation is in addition to those already carried out by the Tax Agency and the Security Forces in the fight against drug trafficking on the so-called 'Atlantic Route' of cocaine, known for being used by sailing ships, fishing vessels and merchant ships coming from South America and the Caribbean, which transfer narcotic substances in the middle of the Atlantic for their subsequent introduction into the European continent.
On this occasion, the fact that the small fishing boat was so close to the Spanish coast has caught the attention of investigators, since transfers normally take place at greater distances.
The success of this type of action is the result of the excellent collaborative work between several European and national bodies (MAOC, CITCO) and the different police and customs bodies, as well as, in this case, the cooperation of the Brazilian authorities.
Operation filming (to download the video, enter the following web address):