Narcosubmarine Seized After 15 Days at Sea with 1.7 Tons of Cocaine Near Azores

Fragile Fiberglass Vessel Intercepted in Joint Operation

A narcosubmarine made of fiberglass and described as highly fragile was captured last week in a coordinated effort involving the Polícia Judiciária (PJ), the Navy, and the Air Force. The vessel was located approximately 1,000 kilometers southwest of Ponta Delgada in the Azores, the same area where a similar submarine was seized in March.

Exhausted Crew and Dangerous Journey

On board were four men—two Ecuadorians, one Venezuelan, and one Colombian, aged between 40 and 65—who were reported to be exhausted due to the precarious conditions of the boat. According to sources, the submarine had departed from Venezuela and had been navigating for about 15 days with 1.7 tons of cocaine.

Emerging Trend in Drug Trafficking

This incident highlights a new practice among trafficking organizations, as explained by Vítor Ananias, coordinator of the PJ's anti-trafficking unit. He noted that traffickers are increasingly using available technology to build narcosubmarines, deploying them across the Atlantic Ocean to rendezvous with high-speed boats from the Iberian Peninsula for drug transfers. In a related event, a seized speedboat sank in the Atlantic while being towed to port.

Previous Seizure and Legal Actions

In March, a larger narcosubmarine was intercepted in the same region, leading to the arrest of five individuals and the confiscation of 6.5 tons of cocaine. The four suspects from the recent operation have been placed in preventive detention by a court in Ponta Delgada.