Spain´s Largest Ever Drugs Haul As Ship Detained

The Spanish authorities have announced the seizure of what is thought to be the biggest haul of cocaine in the country´s history.

Between 30,000 to 45,000kg were found when the Civil Guard intercepted a commercial freighter in international waters off the coast of the Canary Islands.

It has been reported that up to 23 people have been arrested.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told reporters in Madrid that the seizure was “one of the biggest, not only nationally but internationally”.

The Civil Guard shared video footage of the ship in dock as gang members are led off to detention.

The footage was obtained from the Asociacion Unificada de Guardias Civiles (AUGC), the Spanish civil guard association, on 4th May, and shows the vessel in port as the authorities detain its crew.

The video shows officers moving across the deck of a large ship as individuals are placed under arrest and escorted off the vessel, the Arconian, to waiting police vehicles.

A substantial quantity of packaged narcotics was laid out after being removed from the vessel.

The AUGC said: “Historic blow to drug trafficking. Images that speak for themselves: intervention in international waters, suspects under custody, and a war arsenal seized on board.

“The Civil Guard intercepts a cargo ship with a cocaine stash that could set a record in Spain. This is the work of the civil guards.”

According to reports, the quantity of cocaine seized could reach up to 45 tonnes, potentially marking one of the largest drug hauls ever recorded in the country.

The authorities reportedly arrested 23 crew members.

“Today history is being written in the Maritime Service of the Civil Guard,” it wrote.

It is believed that the ship was headed to Libya where the drug haul was likely to have been offloaded to smaller vessels for distribution in Europe.