In a dramatic operation some 50 nautical miles off the Canary Islands, agents from the Guardia Civil, National Police and Spain’s Customs Surveillance Service (SVA) intercepted a yacht carrying a large quantity of cocaine.
The vessel, identified as the Lona, was ultimately set ablaze by its crew in an apparent attempt to destroy the evidence.
The operation was carried out from the patrol vessel Sacre, supported by the SVA’s special operations ship Petrel I. Upon realising they had been discovered, the yacht’s crew deliberately started a fire on board, resulting in serious injuries to one of the suspects, who had to be airlifted by Maritime Rescue.
Despite the sinking of the yacht and the destruction of much of the cocaine in the blaze, officers aboard the Sacre managed to recover 25 kilos of cocaine from the sea.
Joint international intelligence operation
The seizure forms part of an intensified maritime surveillance plan around the Canary Islands, which involves patrol ships Sacre and Petrel I operated by Spain’s Tax Agency.
The operation was initiated after intelligence suggested that a vessel near Tenerife was transporting a significant consignment of narcotics. Authorities suspected the drugs would be transferred to a smaller rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) to be smuggled ashore.
International cooperation played a key role, with intelligence contributions from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This information was coordinated via the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC) in the Atlantic and, at national level, by Spain’s Centre for Intelligence against Terrorism and Organised Crime (CITCO), which brought together Customs, the National Police and Guardia Civil.
Yacht set on fire to destroy the drugs
The interception was extremely hazardous for customs officers due to rough sea conditions and the deliberate fire set by the yacht’s crew to destroy both the cocaine and the vessel itself.
Quick action by the Customs Surveillance Service initially brought the flames under control, allowing them to board the yacht and recover part of the drugs. However, the fire later reignited, ultimately consuming most of the cocaine cargo and the Lona.
Arrests and rescue
The two crew members of the yacht, one French and one Dutch national, have been arrested. The seriously injured suspect was airlifted by a Maritime Rescue helicopter for urgent medical treatment.
The Sacre and Petrel I patrol vessels arrived back in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on Friday, carrying the detained suspects and the cocaine recovered from the sea.
This latest interception underscores the ongoing efforts by Spanish and international agencies to combat drug trafficking routes that pass through the waters surrounding the Canary Islands.
