25 Nov 2019

Spanish authorities seize submarine containing 2000kg of cocaine

3:40 pm on 25 November 2019

A submarine loaded with more than 2000kg of cocaine has been seized in Spain, police sources told the BBC.

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More than 2000kg of cocaine was discovered inside a submarine that ran aground on Spain's north-west coast. Photo: 123RF

Police say two people were held after the vessel ran aground off Galicia's coast in the north-west. A third person fled. They all are said to be from Ecuador.

Spanish media report that the submarine was from Colombia and police are trying to work out whether it sailed all the way from South America with the drugs.

Narco-subs have been used to smuggle drugs from Latin America into the US.

The semi-submersible was seized on Sunday off the coast of Aldán, south-west of the city of Pontevedra.

Despite the discovery in 2006 of a suspected "drugs" submarine off Galicia's coast, such tactics are seen as relatively new for Europe.

A screengrab of Aldán, Spain - the location where a submarine carrying more than 2000kg of cocaine ran aground in November 2019.

Aldán, Spain. Photo: Google Maps

-BBC