Photo: Gondan Shipbuilders

Spanish Customs has intercepted another semi-submersible transoceanic “narco sub” off the Atlantic coast of Spain, rescuing and arresting four suspects, who scuttled their vessel as authorities approached.

On June 24, the Spanish Customs Surveillance Service and the US DEA detected the narco sub approximately 250 nautical miles off the coast of Cádiz. In collaboration with the Spanish Civil Guard and National Police, the customs agency vessel Fulmar intercepted the ship.

Rather than surrender the semi-submersible, the narco sub crew opened its sea valves, flooding the craft within minutes. The semi-submersible sank under their feet as Fulmar arrived.

The crew members were all Colombian nationals and the design of the 20-meter semi-submarine was similar to other transatlantic drug trafficking vessels seized in Spain in 2019 and 2023. Due to the nature of the ship, authorities suspect it was carrying a cargo of cocaine from South America.

The area around the Canary Islands is a hotbed of ship-to-ship transfers between cocaine smuggling boats. On June 22, a few days earlier, the Fulmar intercepted a RHIB loaded with cocaine near the island of La Palma. The narco sub crew threw their cargo overboard during a six-hour chase, and Fulmar recovered a total of approximately 900 kilos. The boat was found abandoned on Tazacorte beach the next day.

A ‘narco-submarine’ was intercepted near Cádiz, four are detained

Thanks to David Rye for contributing to this post.