Spanish authorities have seized 3.9 tonnes of cocaine from a vessel named LITTLE GIRLS during a high-seas operation coordinated 600 miles southwest of the Canary Islands.
The operation was led by the Spanish National Police, with the support of the Navy. It followed intelligence shared through MAOC (N), including information provided by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
In the evening of 22 October, the Spanish authorities boarded the Tanzanian-flagged vessel, which had reportedly departed from Panama and was bound for Vigo, in Spain.
Although no narcotics were discovered during the initial inspection at sea, the vessel was escorted to the Canary Islands for a more detailed examination. A subsequent in-depth search at the Port of Arinaga revealed the presence of 3.9 tonnes of cocaine, deeply concealed inside the hull.
This operation highlights the continued success of international maritime cooperation in disrupting transatlantic drug trafficking routes, with MAOC-N playing a key role in the exchange of intelligence and coordination between the involved agencies.
