Author: Miguel Olivares

On 03/08/2022, in a joint operation by the Portuguese, French and Dutch authorities, and with the support from MAOC (N), the catamaran KLARA was intercepted in the Atlantic Ocean by Portuguese Navy assets and escorted to Ponta Delgada (Azores, Portugal), considering the strong suspicions of carrying a large amount of cocaine. Following a deep search…

The interception of a semi-rigid vessel on the beach of La Aldea, Gran Canaria, has led to the seizure of just over 2000kg of cocaine in one of the largest counterdrug operations in Gran Canaria. In the early hours of the 28th of July, a Spanish joint operation undertaken by the Guardia Civil -with the…

On the 1st of October, French Customs, with the support of MAOC (N), seized over 1.1 tonnes of cocaine onboard the Liberian flagged merchant vessel TRUDY. Originally coming from Brazil, the vessel called in the Canary Islands before resuming its voyage towards Antwerp, Belgium, where she was to unload a cargo of chalk. The vessel…

On 06/06/2021, with the support of MAOC-N, the Spanish Guardia Civil and the Senegalese Navy, in a joint operation with the Spanish National Police and the Customs Surveillance Services (DAVA), and in collaboration with the French Customs (DNRED), seized 8,400kg of hashish off the Senegalese coast. According to the Spanish authorities, the operation was the…

As a result of coordination between the Italian, Spanish, British and Bulgarian authorities and the support of MAOC-N, the Italian Guardia di Finanza intercepted a US-flagged sailing vessel carrying 6 tonnes of hashish off the coast of Sicily on 13/06/2021. The crew, composed by three Bulgarian nationals, was arrested. According to the official press release,…

As part of a joint operation conducted by the UK and Spanish authorities, the Spanish National Police and Customs Surveillance Services (DAVA) were able to intercept a sailing vessel carrying 1000 kg of cocaine. The interception of the vessel named WIND WHISPER occurred on the 13th of June with the operational support of the Spanish…