Narco submarine captured 500 miles from the Azores Islands, carrying 6.6 tons of cocaine

A narco-submarine carrying 6.6 tons of cocaine was intercepted in the Atlantic Ocean, 500 nautical miles south of the Azores Islands, Portugal, and 680 nautical miles southwest of the Canary Islands, Spain.

The operation was made possible thanks to information provided by Spain’s Civil Guard to Portuguese authorities, in collaboration with the British NCA and the U.S. DEA. The vessel, which departed from Brazil, was destined for the Iberian Peninsula. Its cargo was to be transferred to speedboats near the Portuguese coast for distribution in Europe.

The boarding was carried out by the Portuguese Navy and Air Force, successfully arresting five crew members, one of whom was Spanish, according to a statement from Spain’s Ministry of the Interior. Both the drugs and the vessel have been taken to São Miguel Island in the Azores, where investigations are ongoing.

Drug trafficking in Spain via the sea is a persistent problem due to the country's strategic location as a gateway to Europe. Spain's coasts, particularly in Galicia, the Strait of Gibraltar, and the Levant, are key points for drug trafficking, mainly cocaine and hashish.

International mafias, in collaboration with local groups, use speedboats, fishing vessels, and even submarines to transport drugs from Latin America and Morocco. Galicia is known for the landing of cocaine from South America, while hashish arrives from Morocco through the Strait of Gibraltar on fast boats.

Spanish authorities have intensified operations against drug trafficking, with record seizures and the dismantling of criminal networks. However, traffickers' use of advanced technology and the high profitability of the business remain significant challenges to its eradication.