European police seize 20 t of cocaine and hash in Atlantic smuggling bust

A two‑week multinational operation coordinated by Europol and led by Spanish police disrupted a major Atlantic cocaine trafficking route between the Canary Islands and the Azores. Law‑enforcement agencies from Spain, Portugal, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States seized 11 tonnes of cocaine and 8.5 tonnes of hashish, intercepted eight vessels and arrested 54 suspects.

The operation targeted a “cocaine highway” that moves shipments from Latin America to Europe via open‑sea transfers, using large cargo ships, fast‑attack boats and small craft that off‑load on remote coasts of Portugal and Spain. Europol officials said the seizure demonstrates that even the vast Atlantic cannot shield organised crime when agencies cooperate.

Further analysis of the intelligence gathered is expected to lead to additional arrests and confiscations as authorities continue to dismantle the fragmented maritime network.