Spain‑Portugal boat‑hull network on trial for drug smuggling

Two men accused of leading a clandestine operation that built semi‑rigid high‑speed boat hulls in Galicia and completed their assembly in northern Portugal were tried Thursday in Vigo. Prosecutors say the vessels were intended for transporting large quantities of narcotics to Spanish ports including Tarragona, Toledo, Almería and Huelva. The defendants denied any link to drug trafficking, claiming they only manufactured fiberglass hulls for various customers and were unaware of the final use of the boats. The case traces its roots to the 2025 “Sonder‑Rampa” operation that dismantled a similar network, seizing 19 boats, tons of hashish and cocaine, and highlighting the use of Portuguese facilities to circumvent stricter Spanish regulations.