Spain seizes record 30 tons of cocaine

Spanish police have seized 30 tons of cocaine from a ship off the Canary Islands and arrested 23 crew members, who have been remanded in custody without bail, the national court said today.

This is the largest seizure of this drug in European history, more than doubling Spain's previous record.

The ship "Arkonian", which sails under the flag of the Comoros Islands, was intercepted by the Civil Guard on May 1, and the court estimated the value of the cargo at more than 812 million euros, Reuters reports.

The seizure surpasses the 25 tons of cocaine found by German police in the port of Hamburg in June 2024, which was the largest seizure in Europe to date, and is more than double the Spanish record of 13 tons, found last year in a shipment of Ecuadorian bananas in Algeciras.

Police will release details of the operation, conducted in cooperation with American and Dutch authorities, tomorrow.

Investigators believe the cocaine was to be transferred at sea onto speedboats and smuggled into mainland Spain. Firearms and ammunition were found on board, and six crew members were found hiding when officers boarded the vessel.

Seventeen crew members are from the Philippines, while the six who were found hiding on the ship are from the Netherlands and Suriname.

The court ordered the crew to be held in custody without the possibility of bail, citing the gravity of the alleged crimes, the risk of flight and the likelihood of continued criminal activity while the investigation is ongoing.