Spain's National Police have intercepted a fishing vessel carrying a large consignment of cocaine in the Atlantic, about 500 nautical miles northwest of the Canary Islands. It is the latest in a long series of boat seizures within a few days' sail of the island chain, which has become a hub for ship-to-ship cocaine transfers in recent years.
Spanish authorities worked with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to identify and intercept the vessel. A boarding turned up 100 bales of cocaine of about 40 kilos each, for a total of about four tonnes - worth roughly $120 million in wholesale value. 15 crewmembers were detained for questioning.
The police believe that the Panamanian-flagged vessel was headed for the coast of Galicia to transfer its cargo.
The fishing vessel happened to be flagged in Panama, one of the largest flag states. Panama's fishery authority has suspended its license.
"[We] reiterate our commitment to collaborate with national and international authorities to ensure that any act contrary to the law is duly sanctioned and that our flag continues to represent the highest standards of legality and transparency in the maritime and fishing sector," Panama's Aquatic Resources Authority (ARAP) told local media.
source: www.maritime-executive.com
