In a major joint operation, officials from Spain’s Customs Surveillance Service, aboard the Special Operations Vessel ‘Petrel’, in cooperation with the French patrol ship ‘DFP3-JF Deniau’, intercepted a fishing boat carrying 500 kilos of cocaine in Atlantic waters, northwest of the Canary Islands. Six crew members, all Brazilian nationals, have been arrested.
The interception occurred as part of Operation Pascal-Lino 2024, a coordinated exercise between Spanish and French customs authorities, which has been active in various scenarios over the past few years.
It began when aerial surveillance units identified a suspicious fishing vessel, which was exhibiting erratic navigation patterns. The boat was far from any other fishing activity in a wide area, raising further concerns.
On Monday morning (September 23rd), naval units were dispatched to the vessel, located over 300 miles northwest of the Canary Islands, to verify its identity and purpose.
Upon boarding, the crew of six Brazilians claimed they were fishing in the area. However, several red flags were noted: the fishing equipment appeared unused, and there were significant safety and documentation issues.
These findings, combined with the behaviour of the crew, heightened suspicion among the agents. Further inspection using portable radiological equipment revealed numerous sacks hidden among the fishing gear. These were identified as the kind typically used to transport narcotics.
As a result, 20 bales of cocaine, with an estimated total weight of 500 kilos (half a ton) and a street value of €50 million, were seized. The crew was immediately detained.
On Thursday (September 26th), the ‘Petrel’ docked in the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where the drugs were unloaded, and the detainees were handed over to the judicial authorities. The Spanish National Court is now overseeing the legal proceedings, as confirmed by the Spanish Customs Agency.
