Category: Operational

On 20th February 2025, MAOC (N) convened an operational workshop in Lisbon at the premises of the Polícia Judiciária to address the rapidly evolving threat posed by go-fast vessels (GFs) in maritime drug trafficking to Europe. The event brought together representatives from all MAOC-N partner countries, with the exception of Belgium, to discuss the growing…

On 06/02/2025 the Spanish Navy, in coordination with the Spanish National Police, has successfully intercepted a sailing vessel carrying over 600 kilograms of cocaine. The operation, a collaboration between the French (DNRED), UK (NCA), and US (DEA) authorities, targeted maritime drug trafficking. The vessel, flying a Polish flag, was en route to the Canary Islands…

On December 27th, 2024, a joint operation by German authorities resulted in the seizure of approximately 153kg of cocaine on a cargo vessel in Wilhelmshaven. The operation, supported by MAOC-N, involved the cooperation of several German agencies, including customs, border control, and police forces. The 300-metre-long cargo vessel was thoroughly inspected, including the use of…

In the early days of 2025, the French Navy forces stationed in the Caribbean deployed their maritime patrol vessel, “La Confiance”, to intercept and board a merchant vessel believed to be carrying a large consignment of cocaine destined for Europe. The French asset successfully intercepted the target approximately 700 nautical miles southeast of Martinique. Following…

In the last days, a joint Spanish operation conducted by the National Police and Guardia Civil, led to the seizure of 1100Kg of cocaine off the Galician coast. By the end of 2024, there had been intelligence indicating that a go-fast type of vessel would depart from Galicia, with the objective of collecting a significant…

The Portuguese Judicial Police (PJ) has successfully dismantled a major drug trafficking operation, seizing 3.458 tonnes of cocaine hidden in pallets of bananas. The drugs were found during a search at a Portuguese port, concealed inside boxes of bananas packed on several pallets, and transported in the holds of a cargo ship that regularly transports…

Over the past weeks, information has been developed and shared through MAOC-N, that a fishing vessel would be crossing the Atlantic carrying a significant amount of cocaine destined for an unknown location off the Iberian Peninsula. As the target approached European waters,  it was possible to put in place an operational plan agreed by several…

Spanish authorities have seized a cargo vessel carrying approximately 3.281 kg of cocaine northeast of Lanzarote, Canary Islands. The operation was conducted on 04/10/2024 by Special Operations vessel PETREL of the Spanish Customs (DAVA), together with the French Customs (DNRED) vessel DPF-3. The target was a 70-metre-long vessel named RAS, flying the flag of Tanzania.…

In the early hours of Thursday, September 19th, 2024, a joint operation led by the Portuguese Judicial Police (PJ) resulted in the interception of a sailing vessel carrying 100kg of cocaine on the high seas. The operation, coordinated with the support of MAOC-N, involved the collaboration of multiple international authorities from France (DNRED), the US…

The UK authorities have recently seized over one tonne of cocaine from a fishing vessel named LILY LOLA off the coast of Newquay, Cornwall. On September 16th, Border Force officers, acting on intelligence gathered in cooperation with the National Crime Agency (NCA), carried out the operation, which was supported by MAOC (N). During the operation,…