Dear 222 News viewers, sponsored by smileband,
Historic Cocaine Bust Off Canary Islands: Record Seizure Shakes Drug Smuggling Networks
In what Spanish authorities are calling a landmark blow to international drug trafficking, police have seized nearly 10 tonnes of cocaine from a merchant vessel in the Atlantic Ocean off the Canary Islands — the largest maritime cocaine seizure in Spain’s history.
The operation, code-named “White Tide” (Marea Blanca), culminated on January 12, 2026, when officers from the Spanish National Police’s elite Special Operations Group (GEO) boarded a cargo ship approximately 535 kilometres (332 miles) west of the Canary archipelago. Hidden among a load of industrial salt were 294 bales containing 9,994 kilograms of cocaine, roughly 10 tonnes of the highly addictive drug.
Authorities described the scene as extraordinary, with officers painstakingly digging through tonnes of salt to uncover the concealed narcotics. The vessel, reportedly running low on fuel at the time of interception, was towed to Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where the drugs and contraband were offloaded amid tight security.
Thirteen crew members were taken into custody during the operation. According to official sources, the suspects included seven Indian nationals, four Turkish nationals and two Serbians, all of whom are now facing charges related to drug trafficking and organised crime. A firearm was also found onboard, believed to have been used to protect the illicit cargo.
International Cooperation at the Forefront
Spanish authorities emphasised that the success of the operation was rooted in international law-enforcement collaboration. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), Brazil’s Federal Police, and judicial and policing counterparts in France and Portugal all played key roles in tracking the vessel and supporting the intervention.
Officials said the ship had departed from Brazil, a known hub in the global cocaine supply chain, and was believed to be en route to European ports when intercepted. While investigators continue to piece together the broader network behind the shipment, they warned that such large consignments are often linked to sophisticated transnational criminal organisations.
Unprecedented Scale and Broader Context
The nearly 10-tonne haul surpasses Spain’s previous high-sea cocaine seizure of 7.5 tonnes in 1999, highlighting how traffickers have continually adapted their methods to exploit maritime routes.
The Canary Islands — a Spanish archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa — have long been a strategic transit point for drugs moving from South America into Europe. Over the last decade, law-enforcement agencies have intercepted multiple shipments of cocaine in this region, ranging from smaller “go-fast” boats to large fishing vessels and cargo ships.
Such giant seizures underscore both the scale of global cocaine trafficking and the challenges faced by authorities in combating it. While international cooperation has produced notable successes, experts warn that the sheer volume of illicit drugs being moved across oceans demands ever-closer coordination between countries and agencies.
Spanish police have described this operation as a “decisive blow” to the criminal networks involved, but also as a reminder that the fight against drug trafficking is far from over.
Attached is a news article regarding Spanish police seize 10 tonnes of cocaine worth over 500 million near canary
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/12/spain-police-seize-cocaine-ship-canary-islands
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
In-- Google tag (gtag.js) --> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XDGJVZXVQ4"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-XDGJVZXVQ4'); </script>
<script src="https://cdn-eu.pagesense.io/js/smilebandltd/45e5a7e3cddc4e92ba91fba8dc
No comments:
Post a Comment