A yacht carrying over 600 kilograms of cocaine has been intercepted in the Atlantic while heading towards the Canary Islands. The operation was part of an international crackdown on drug trafficking, involving authorities from France, the UK, and the United States, as confirmed by Spain’s National Police on Tuesday.
The vessel, which was travelling towards the Canary archipelago, had the illicit cargo concealed in 19 bales. Special Operations Group (GEO) agents boarded the yacht, arresting its two crew members.
Sailing from the Caribbean
The intercepted yacht was found 800 nautical miles (1,480 kilometres) west of Tenerife and was flying a Polish flag.
According to the National Police, intelligence provided by French authorities in the Caribbean, in coordination with British intelligence services and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), helped locate the yacht on an island across the Atlantic.
Once alerted, Spanish law enforcement activated an international cooperation mechanism, coordinated through the Centre for Intelligence against Terrorism and Organised Crime (CITCO), which ultimately led to the vessel’s interception, and discovery of the drugs on board.
Once seized, the crew were arrested, and the boat and its cargo taken to the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
