Massive Drug Bust Near the Canary Islands: Multinational Operation Seizes 4000 Kilograms of Cocaine on Tanzanian-Flagged Ship
In a significant victory against international drug trafficking, Spanish and French customs authorities have detained a Tanzanian-flagged cargo ship carrying a staggering 4,000 kilograms of cocaine. The dramatic operation took place around 130 nautical miles northeast of the Canary Islands, a key location in global maritime routes. The seizure marks another milestone in the ongoing multinational effort to disrupt organized crime networks operating across the Atlantic and Mediterranean seas.
The cargo ship, named Ras, had been under the watchful eye of international law enforcement agencies for some time due to its unusual and suspicious journey. The vessel set sail on an atypical voyage that began in Turkey, passed through the Mediterranean, and made several unexplained stops along the West African coast before heading toward Europe. These movements raised alarms among the authorities tasked with monitoring drug trafficking operations at sea, prompting a coordinated effort to track and intercept the ship.
The operation, code-named Pascal Lino 2024, was spearheaded by the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre for Drug Trafficking (MAOC), based in Lisbon, Portugal. This agency plays a critical role in tracking and monitoring vessels suspected of engaging in illegal activities. Through its sophisticated surveillance systems, MAOC flagged the Ras for closer inspection after noticing its erratic route, which seemed economically impractical and lacked legitimate commercial purposes.
The ship had made suspicious stops in both Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau without any visible loading or unloading activities. As it moved closer to the Iberian Peninsula, the decision was made to tighten surveillance and prepare for a potential interdiction.
The operation was coordinated on a national level by Spanish authorities, with close collaboration between the National Police and the Civil Guard, facilitated by the Coordination Centre against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO). Both Spanish and French customs forces mobilized to intercept the vessel as it sailed near Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands.
The Spanish Customs Surveillance Special Operations Vessel Petrel and the French Customs Patrol Boat DPF-3 played central roles in the high-seas interception. Together, these naval assets successfully halted the Ras before it could make any further suspicious movements. According to officials, their swift actions prevented what would have likely been an attempt to transfer the drugs to smaller boats headed for Spanish ports, a common method used by smugglers to distribute narcotics once they near Europe.
Upon boarding the Ras, authorities immediately detained the ship’s crew, arresting ten individuals. Among them were seven Turkish nationals, two Azerbaijani citizens, and one Dutch national. The captain of the ship, also Turkish, was arrested as well. Investigators suspect that the crew was heavily involved in a well-organized smuggling operation with deep ties to international crime syndicates.
However, the process of uncovering the hidden contraband proved more difficult than anticipated. The cocaine was concealed in a nearly inaccessible compartment between the ship’s cargo holds, a sophisticated method designed to evade detection. The search took longer than expected, but after a thorough investigation of the ship’s interior, the narcotics were discovered and confiscated by the authorities.
Following the seizure, the Petrel escorted the Ras to the port of Arrecife on the island of Lanzarote, where the drugs were offloaded, and the crew was handed over to Spanish authorities for further questioning and investigation. Officials believe that the investigation may provide critical insights into larger criminal networks operating between West Africa, Europe, and other regions.
The drug seizure is part of the broader Pascal-Lino-Iborra operation, a joint effort between Spanish and French customs agencies that has been in place since 2017. The operation aims to combat various forms of maritime customs fraud, with a specific focus on the illegal trafficking of narcotics in key maritime zones, including the Cantabrian Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the North Atlantic.
Each year, the operation brings together naval, aerial, and law enforcement assets from both countries to collaborate on interdiction efforts. The partnership allows for the exchange of intelligence, the sharing of best practices, and joint training exercises designed to improve coordination between the agencies involved. The end goal is to create an integrated approach to maritime security that can effectively respond to drug trafficking and other forms of illegal smuggling.
A senior official involved in the operation praised the effectiveness of this collaborative approach, noting that the close ties between Spain and France have enabled quicker, more decisive action in tackling maritime drug trafficking. “Operations like Pascal Lino not only allow us to disrupt individual smuggling attempts but also help us dismantle the networks behind them,” he said.
The Ras seizure is seen as a major blow to the criminal organizations that rely on maritime routes to move large quantities of drugs into Europe. The interception of 4,000 kilograms of cocaine is one of the largest drug busts in recent memory in this region, and authorities are optimistic that the intelligence gained from the operation will lead to further arrests and the disruption of related smuggling activities.
As law enforcement agencies continue to refine their methods and strengthen international cooperation, operations like Pascal Lino 2024 are proving crucial in the global fight against drug trafficking. The seizure serves as a stark reminder that even the most carefully planned smuggling operations are vulnerable to the growing reach of multinational maritime surveillance and enforcement.
