A drug trafficking network was using an abandoned shipwreck as a refuelling platform for speedboats: A major cocaine smuggling operation that used a network of speedboats to transport drugs from South America to the Canary Islands has been taken down, Spain’s Policia Nacional said.
The gang owned 11 speedboats that were used repeatedly, departing from strategic points in the Atlantic Ocean to a mother ship transporting the cocaine.
After loading the drugs onto the speedboats, the suspects dropped them off in the Canary Islands, ready for distribution.
Europol said 3.8 tonnes of cocaine were seized and 48 suspects arrested in raids across Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. The drug investigators executed 2 searches in Fuerteventura, 13 in Gran Canaria and 14 in Lanzarote.
The raids were months in the planning and saw 6 properties seized, 29 properties searched, 69 vehicles seized (19 boats and speedboats) and 100,000 euros in cash recovered.
Following months of investigation, authorities arrested some 50 members of the network on June 3. The network introduced cocaine from South America to the European Union by using a sophisticated maritime infrastructure.
Investigators revealed the gang used “a complex encrypted communications system, including the use of satellite terminals, hard-to-trace phones and a coded language.”
Image via video (credit): Europol
Footage of the raids published by Spanish police showed armed and masked officers raiding several houses, arresting suspects and carrying out searches.
In addition, the investigations detected that the smuggling network had coordinators in the Canary Islands responsible for distributing the cocaine once it had arrived from South America.
The investigation was led by Spanish authorities and also involved law enforcement from Portugal, Colombia, UK and USA.
Image via video (credit): Europol
Europol said that it played a key role in the investigation by providing crucial analytical and financial support that contributed to the success of the operation.
On the action day, a Europol specialist was deployed to Spain to support authorities in the field.
