Spain has seized 30 tonnes of cocaine – a record shipment for Europe worth over €800 million
Spanish police intercepted the vessel Arconian, flying the Comoros flag, on 1 May off the Canary Islands. Thirty tonnes of cocaine were found on board, according to Reuters.
The Spanish High Court stated that the value of the seized cargo exceeds €812 million.
The operation was carried out in conjunction with law enforcement agencies in the US and the Netherlands. The police plan to release details of the case on 8 May.
Investigators believe the cocaine was to be transferred at sea to speedboats for onward transport to mainland Spain.
During a search on board the vessel, law enforcement officers discovered firearms and ammunition. Six crew members were found in hiding places after boarding the vessel.
According to the court, 17 crew members are citizens of the Philippines. The other six, who were found in hiding, are from the Netherlands and Suriname.
The court ruled that all those detained should be held in custody without the right to bail. This decision was justified by the seriousness of the alleged offences, the risk of flight and the possibility of continued criminal activity during the investigation.
The seized consignment is the largest in European history. The previous record was set in June 2024, when German law enforcement officers seized 25 tonnes of cocaine at the port of Hamburg.
