Nearly 4 Tons of Cocaine Seized in Canary Islands Operation

Nearly four tons of cocaine were seized and 16 individuals were arrested from two vessels off the coast of the Canary Islands in a major drug bust. The operation was a joint effort between French and Spanish customs, conducted under the authority of the Atlantic maritime prefect and in collaboration with the public prosecutor in Brest. This month-long mission involved the use of the Beechcraft KA350 aircraft, the patrol vessel Jean-François Deniau, and the Spanish customs patrol vessel Petrel.

The first seizure took place on September 26 when French and Spanish customs officers discovered 589 kilos of cocaine hidden in fishing equipment on an unflagged fishing vessel located over 480 kilometers northwest of the Canaries. Six crew members were arrested in connection with this discovery. A week later, on October 3, authorities intercepted a 70-meter cargo ship in the open sea. The vessel’s suspicious behavior and trajectory led to the discovery of 3.281 tons of cocaine hidden in a technical compartment. Ten crew members were arrested during this operation.

The suspected drug traffickers and the 3.87 tons of cocaine were handed over to Spanish authorities for further judicial proceedings. According to French customs, drug trafficking routes from South and Central America to Europe, sometimes passing through West Africa, are becoming increasingly active. In 2023, French customs intelligence played a role in the seizure of 40 tons of cocaine by foreign agencies, with an additional 12 tons seized within the national territory.

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