A fishing boat was intercepted at sea south of the Canary Islands with more than 1,500 kilos of cocaine on board. The 60 bales of coke were hidden in a specially built compartment in the vessel’s engine room. The six crew members of the Brazilian-flagged ship have been arrested.
Harsh weather conditions
The Spanish police, in a joint operation with the Guardia Civil and the surveillance customs of the tax authorities, intercepted a fishing boat about 240 kilometers from the Canary Islands. Boarding the customs patrol boat was done during harsh weather conditions. During the operation, the six crew members of the fishing boat were arrested: five Brazilians, including the captain, and a Venezuelan.
Engine room
The ship later sailed under heavy guard to the port of Las Palmas, where the drugs were unloaded. In total, it concerns more than 1,500 kilos of cocaine, divided into 60 bales. The cocaine was hidden in the engine room of the fishing boat.
The fact that the small fishing boat was so close to the Spanish coast attracted the attention of the investigative services, as transhipment normally takes place at a greater distance.
