Drug Smugglers Try To Sink Merchant Ship With Three Tons Of Cocaine
The Spanish authorities have boarded a merchant ship and apprehended a gang of drug smugglers who had attempted to sink it with three tons of cocaine cargo before they realised that the police were already aboard.
In the video footage released by the Civil Guard and National Police the arresting officers can be seen intercepting a 170-foot sinking ship of the coast of Ribadeo in the province of Lugo located in the autonomous community of Galicia in North-Western Spain yesterday (February 23).
The operation which was carried out by the National Spanish police in collaboration with the Spanish Navy has resulted in the arrest of nine suspects and the confiscation of nearly three tons of cocaine.
“The crew who saw no possibility of escape did not hesitate in activating a device that led to the flooding of the ship’s compartment” the police detailed in their statement.
The 170-foot long ship sank within two hours but this was not quick enough.
“The quick action taken by the agents on board the Spanish Naval ship ‘Serviola’ ensured the recovery of all the drugs and crew onboard the ship”.
The cocaine was destined to be distributed throughout the European market according to the authorities.
The successful operation is the communication of an investigation that began last May when authorities were made aware of a ship called ‘Nehir’ operating in the region as a drug smuggling vessel.
The crew member of the vessel that was registered in the Republic of Palau are Georgian and Turkish nationals are in detention and awaiting trail.
Although the ship did eventually sink the suspects did not act quick enough and the police were able to recover all three tons of the drug which have an estimated street value of over 600 million Euros.