This archive report was first published on 25 November 2019.
Published on November 25, 2019, Spanish authorities have made a significant seizure in the fight against drug trafficking. A submarine carrying over three tonnes of cocaine from Colombia was intercepted off the coast of Galicia, one of Spain's poorest regions.
According to a spokesman for the central government's representative in Galicia, a diver managed to enter the submarine on Monday and remove a bundle of cocaine from inside. However, the total amount of drugs on board will not be determined until the vessel is refloated.
Spanish media reported that the submarine was carrying over three tonnes of cocaine, while a source close to the investigation estimated that the vessel was likely transporting several tonnes of the illicit substance.
The submarine, approximately 20 metres long, originated from South America, although the exact country of departure was not specified. This is not the first time that drug traffickers have used submarines to transport cocaine into Europe, with gangs often paying unemployed engineers to design and build the vessels.
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez, a defence and geopolitics analyst at the Center for International Maritime Security, noted that most of these submarines are semisubmersible, but some are able to dive up to 30 metres underwater. He added that the vessels are becoming increasingly modern and complex.
Galicia's rugged coastline, featuring a maze of coves, caves, and inlets, makes it a prime entry point for cocaine into Europe. Spain accounted for the second-highest proportion of cocaine seizures in the European Union last year, with 41 tonnes apprehended.
