Category: Operational

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…

On 07/12/2024, Spanish authorities intercepted over 3.300 kg of cocaine aboard a Venezuelan-flagged fishing vessel West of the Canary Islands. Officers from the Spanish Customs Surveillance Special Operations Vessel PETREL boarded the vessel, arresting ten crew members on board—nine Venezuelan nationals and one Colombian national—and seizing 110 bales of cocaine. The operation, which was supported…

In a coordinated international effort, Portuguese authorities intercepted a fishing vessel carrying over 1.6 tonnes of cocaine in international waters, west of Cape Verde. The Brazilian-flagged fishing vessel, with a crew of six Brazilian nationals, had been initially flagged by the Brazilian Federal Police, which was key to the outcome of the whole operation. Indeed,…

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,…

Guinea-Bissau’s Judicial Police has seized 2.63 tonnes of cocaine found on an aircraft at the country’s international airport, after information was shared by international partners that an aircraft would be flying to the country from Venezuela loaded with cocaine. After landing at the Osvaldo Vieira International airport, the rapid intervention from the aforementioned Guinean authorities…

Catania, Italy – In a significant drug bust, the Italian Guarda di Finanza (GDF) seized 540 kg of cocaine from a fishing vessel off the coast of Sicily. The operation occurred during the night between September 2nd and 3rd, 2024, approximately 20 nautical miles South of Portopalo, Italy. After a GDF aircraft identified an Italian-flagged…

On the 15th of August, a maritime operation conducted by the French Forces in the Caribbean led to the record seizure of 10.5 tonnes of cocaine found on board a fishing vessel. Information had been shared through MAOC-N that a fishing vessel was sailing off the Caribbean loaded with a significant amount of cocaine, possibly…