Turkey Collaborates with Spain and France in Investigation of Drug-Smuggling Cargo Ship Ras

Turkey’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has pledged cooperation with Spanish and French authorities in the investigation of a Turkish-owned cargo ship involved in drug smuggling. The vessel, named Ras, was seized by Spanish and French forces while it was 130 miles from Lanzarote. The ship, built in 1994 and currently registered in Tanzania, had drawn attention due to its suspicious movements across the Mediterranean and Atlantic without loading or unloading any merchandise. The authorities became suspicious of the ship’s activities, leading to its interception and the subsequent discovery of at least 4,000 kilos of cocaine hidden on board.

The Spanish authorities reported that the cocaine found on the Ras was concealed in a compartment with difficult access, indicating a sophisticated smuggling operation. They suspected that the drugs were intended to be offloaded onto smaller boats for transfer to the Spanish coast. Turkish authorities confirmed the suspicions, stating that the narcotics were likely brought from South American countries by “ghost ships” used by international smugglers for one-way trips to ferry drugs. The Turkish ministry revealed that the cocaine was transferred to the Ras in the Atlantic Ocean, possibly off the coast of Guinea or Mauritania, before being shipped to Europe.

An analysis of the Ras’s movements showed a suspicious pattern, with the ship traveling from Istanbul to Casablanca, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Mauritania before being intercepted en route to Egypt. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkey disclosed that they had been monitoring the vessel’s movements since a change in ownership was recorded in July. The collaboration between Turkish, Spanish, and French authorities led to the interception and subsequent investigation of the Ras, uncovering a sophisticated drug smuggling operation involving the Turkish-owned cargo ship.

The crew of the Ras, consisting of seven Turkish nationals, two Azerbaijani nationals, and one Dutch citizen, were initially detained and questioned before being arrested as part of the ongoing investigation. The Turkish ministry emphasized the importance of international cooperation in combating drug smuggling and expressed their commitment to assisting in the investigation. The interception of the Ras highlighted the need for continued vigilance and cooperation among countries to prevent illicit activities at sea.

Source