50 arrests after cocaine-laden sailboat intercepted in the Caribbean

39 individuals were arrested on 24 June in Spain, Norway, Poland and UK after cocaine worth an estimated EUR 45 million was seized from a vessel at sea in 2023. The crew of 8 people were also arrested during that initial interception. Simultaneously, a total of 47 house searches were carried out in Bulgaria, Colombia, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Spain and Trinidad and Tobago. Subsequent weeks saw three other individuals detained, bringing the total number of arrests to 50. 

Europol has supported this investigation since August 2023. On 20 December 2023, authorities intercepted a sailboat in international waters off the coast of Martinique with 1 500 kilos of cocaine on board. Eight individuals, including the crew members and some involved through other means, were arrested that same day. Following this operation, in the framework of intelligence activities underway with its operational counterparts, Europol has been able to develop actionable intelligence regarding the drug trafficking activities of this organised crime group. This led to further investigations and operational activities involving 10 countries.

The suspects were arrested as part of an international operation against drug trafficking led by the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional). The Spanish authorities worked closely with the Norwegian Police, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (US DEA) in the framework of an Operational Taskforce set up at Europol. The purpose of the taskforce was to target a drug trafficking organisation with links to the Western Balkan region which authorities suspected of shipping large amounts of cocaine to Europe.

10 cocaine vessels operating between South America and the EU

During the investigation, the agents identified a total of 10 vessels used by the organisation along the ‘drug routes’ and that the criminals had different bases of operations in Spain and South America. In Spain, they used Valencia, Alicante, Almería, Málaga and the Canary Islands as logistics points before setting sail to South America. In South America they used Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Lucia, Barbados or Panama, to keep the sailboats ready to sail with the drugs. This system meant shipments could move as soon as the orders from the leader of the criminal network and his lieutenant were received.

The cocaine would then be picked off the coast of the Caribbean islands by sailboats which would shortly after set sail towards Spain, from where the cocaine was distributed onwards to different EU countries by overland transport. The crew for the sailboats had been recruited in Norway by one of the leaders of the drug trafficking organisation, who Europol had designated as a High Value Target. This individual was among those arrested in Norway on 24 June.

International cooperation via Europol to link drug seizures and traffickers

This operation was the culmination of many months of meticulous planning in preparation of the final phase of the action. The partners have been working closely together in the framework of a Europol Operational Taskforce to establish a joint strategy and to organise the extensive exchange of information.

Europol provided continuous intelligence development to map out the targets and their criminal activity. The Agency also financed an operational meeting off-site in Madrid. During the action day, one Europol expert was deployed to Marbella (Spain) to assist with the swift analysis of data as it was been collected, helping adjust the operational strategy as required. In addition, Europol funded the exchange of Spanish and Norwegian police officers for the action day.