Spanish authorities have conducted the largest maritime drug seizure in the country’s history, intercepting nearly 10 tons of cocaine on a cargo vessel in the Atlantic Ocean.
The operation, announced by Spain’s National Police on Monday, took place approximately 530 kilometers west of the Canary Islands.
Officers boarded the foreign-flagged ship and discovered the narcotics concealed beneath a massive shipment of salt.
Thirteen crew members were arrested during the high-seas raid. In addition to the drugs, investigators recovered a firearm on board the vessel.
According to police, the ship’s journey began in Türkiye. It then traveled to Brazil to load the cocaine before heading toward Europe.
Investigators believe the shipment was destined for the southern Spanish port of Huelva.
The record-breaking haul was the result of a complex international effort.
Spanish authorities credited law enforcement agencies from several other countries for their cooperation, noting that the bust highlights the growing scale of transnational drug trafficking networks operating across the Atlantic.
