Portuguese authorities have seized almost nine tonnes of cocaine from a semi submersible vessel in the Atlantic Ocean, marking the largest drug haul ever intercepted by the country. The operation took place roughly 230 nautical miles from the Azores and involved coordinated efforts between Portuguese police, the navy and air force, with support from US and UK law enforcement agencies.
The vessel, commonly referred to as a narco submarine, was travelling from Latin America towards Europe when it was intercepted under difficult weather conditions. Four men were arrested on board, including three Colombian nationals and one Venezuelan. Officials said the crew was transporting around 300 bales of cocaine, though part of the shipment was lost after the vessel sank during the operation.
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Portuguese police said the seizure represents a significant blow to transatlantic drug trafficking routes, with the confiscated drugs estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of euros on the European market. Investigators described the operation as the largest cocaine seizure ever carried out in Portugal, highlighting the increasing scale and sophistication of maritime smuggling networks.
Semi submersible vessels have become a preferred method for traffickers attempting to move large quantities of cocaine across the Atlantic, largely due to their low visibility and long range. While once confined to routes near Central and South America, their presence in European waters has grown steadily over the past two decades, particularly along the Atlantic coast...