Off Coast of Portugal, a Massive Cocaine Bust on a Submersible

Portuguese police have seized a semi-submersible vessel transporting 6.5 tons of cocaine destined for Europe, authorities in Lisbon said on Tuesday. Portuguese officials said they arrested five crew members after intercepting the vessel in the Atlantic Ocean, around 500 nautical miles south of the Azores, reports the AP. The operation also included the Portuguese air force and navy and Spain's Civil Guard, along with assistance from the United States' DEA and the British National Crime Agency, reports NDTV.

Portugal is often an entry point for drug smugglers, and this single bust is about a quarter of the 23 tons confiscated in the nation across the entirety of 2024, notes NDTV. Portuguese police described the crew as allegedly belonging to an international criminal organization. They said that the operation happened recently, without specifying the date. European authorities occasionally nab homemade semi-submersibles transporting drugs from South America that lie low in the water to escape detection but rarely are able to fully submerge.

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