Spanish authorities grew suspicious when they spotted a jet ski near containerships at the Port of Algeciras. Their investigation led to the arrest of three individuals who were attempting to offload 50 kilograms of cocaine while posing as port workers. European law enforcement has raised alarms about smuggling operations infiltrating port activities, with criminals often using legitimate employees or bribing workers. In this instance, the suspects tried to blend in by wearing dockworker attire.
Officers from the Guardia Civil, Customs Surveillance, and the Tax Agency coordinated efforts to monitor the port and tracked the jet ski as it approached a containership. Two suspects disembarked from the jet ski and boarded the ship, attempting to remain inconspicuous. However, law enforcement intervened and apprehended them on the vessel, where they discovered two backpacks believed to contain drugs that the suspects were trying to remove from the ship.
Upon searching the backpacks, authorities found 50 packages, each containing one kilogram of cocaine, with a total estimated value exceeding €1.5 million. A third suspect was arrested on the jet ski, which was later confirmed to be stolen just hours prior in La Línea de la Concepción.
This seizure followed another recent incident in Valencia, where police intercepted a smuggler attempting to transport 1.5 tons of cocaine. Authorities utilized a high-tech “Medusa” van to X-ray vehicles arriving from Ibiza, revealing discrepancies in cargo declarations. Upon further inspection, they found 1,420 concealed cocaine pills in a van driven by a Romanian national, who was also arrested.
