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1h ago

Portugal Intercepts Narco-Sub Carrying 1.7 Tonnes of Cocaine in Mid-Atlantic

Intelligence from MAOC-N prompted the mid-ocean stop, with Portugal’s Judicial Police now pursuing the network under Operación El Dorado.

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interceptaron un submarino narco con 1.7 toneladas de cocaína que iba a España.
Portugal intercepta narcosubmarino con 1,7 toneladas de cocaína en el Atlántico central: cuatro fueron arrestadas
Cuatro hombres, identificados como ciudadanos de Ecuador, Venezuela y Colombia, fueron arrestados. | Crédito: Polícia Judiciária (@PJudiciaria)

Overview

  • Portuguese forces boarded a semi-submersible about 1,000 nautical miles off Lisbon and seized more than 1.7 tonnes of cocaine bound for Europe.
  • Four suspected crew members—citizens of Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia—were arrested and remain in pretrial detention following a court hearing in the Azores.
  • Rough seas and the vessel’s fragile construction prevented a tow back to port, and the semi-submersible sank after the seizure.
  • The operation involved the Portuguese Navy and Air Force with support from the UK National Crime Agency, the US DEA and JIATF-S, coordinated through MAOC-N.
  • Authorities say the shipment was intended for multiple European destinations, with Spain identified as a principal entry point, reflecting a wider trend of semi-submersible trafficking after earlier large seizures this year.