VIDEO: 4,000 kilos of cocaine seized on cargo ship near the Canary Islands after DEA tip-off
Spanish authorities have intercepted a massive shipment of 4,000 kilos of cocaine aboard a cargo ship sailing 600 miles off the Canary Islands, in one of the largest anti-narcotics operations of recent years. The bust, with a street value of an estimated €340 million, was the result of a coordinated international effort following intelligence from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The operation, conducted late on Wednesday night, saw officers from the elite GEO (Special Operations Group) board the merchant ship under the flag of Tanzania. The vessel had departed from the port of Cristóbal in Panama and was bound for Vigo, Galicia, when it was intercepted in international waters.
Nine crew members were arrested during the raid, and the vessel was found to contain hidden compartments used to store the drugs. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the successful operation highlights the “exceptional level of cooperation” between international law enforcement agencies.
This seizure adds to a string of major drug interceptions in Spain in recent months, including 13 tonnes of cocaine seized in Algeciras last November, 3.6 tonnes in Galicia in September, and 1.7 tonnes in Valencia earlier this month.
Spain continues to be a key entry point for South American cocaine into Europe due to its extensive maritime routes and proximity to Africa and the Atlantic corridors.
The National Police confirmed that the DEA’s initial alert was received on 8th October, prompting an investigation by the Anti-Drug Prosecutor’s Office (Audiencia Nacional). The operation culminated in a nighttime boarding of the ship by GEO officers launched from a Spanish Navy vessel.
Once aboard, agents discovered modified sections of the ship’s interior designed specifically to conceal the narcotics. The investigation remains open to identify the criminal organisation behind the shipment and its intended European distribution network.
Authorities described the seizure as a “major blow” to international drug trafficking and another example of Spain’s strategic role in the fight against global narcotics smuggling.
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