On December 6th, 2023, the Spanish authorities, in a joint operation by the National Police, the Civil Guard, and the Spanish Customs (DAVA), successfully intercepted and seized 2500kg of cocaine on board a Polish-flagged vessel in the Atlantic Ocean.
After information was gathered that the 12.5-meter-long cabin cruiser was loaded with a significant amount of cocaine, the Spanish patrol boat PETREL of the Customs Surveillance Service was deployed, managing to intercept the target approximately 400 nautical miles West of the Canary Islands.
The vessel was carrying 86 bales, all distributed throughout the interior of the boat without any concealment technique, which might suggest that a transfer would be carried out to another vessel that would then be responsible for introducing the drugs into the Peninsula.
The crew was composed of two individuals, both with French nationality, who were brought to judicial custody and handed over to the competent authorities.
This successful operation, which was carried out under harsh weather conditions, was possible through extensive international cooperation between the aforementioned Spanish law enforcement agencies, the National Crime Agency from the UK and the US Drugs Enforcement Administration (DEA), and coordinated by the Centre.
