In brief
Portuguese authorities have captured a narco-submarine 1,000 nautical miles off the coast of Lisbon, carrying 1.7 tonnes of cocaine. The vessel was intercepted in a coordinated effort with UK and US forces, resulting in the arrest of four crew members who are believed to have connections to an international drug trafficking organization. The recent operation highlights ongoing challenges in combating drug smuggling across the Atlantic, as well as the complexities of international law regarding such military engagements.
Four people have been detained after Portuguese authorities intercepted a narco-sub carrying more than 1.7 tonnes of cocaine in the mid-Atlantic.
The semi-submersible vessel was bound for the Iberian peninsula and was seized in recent days, according to officials.
Footage shows the police and navy surrounding the vessel before boarding, seizing the Class A substance and arresting four crew members, who are said to be from South America.
The suspects, including two Ecuadorians, a Venezuelan and a Colombian, were remanded in pre-trial custody after their court appearance in the Azores on Tuesday, said police.
Vítor Ananias, head of Portugal's police unit to combat drug trafficking, told a press conference that their different nationalities showed the organisation behind them was not just based in one country.
The Lisbon-based Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC) had received information indicating that a criminal organisation was dispatching a submersible loaded with cocaine destined for Europe.
A few days later, a Portuguese ship successfully located the submersible approximately 1,000 nautical miles (1,852km) off the coast of Lisbon, in an operation backed by the UK's National Crime Agency and the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
Having seized the vessel, the navy said it could not be towed back to shore due to poor weather and its fragile construction, and it later sank in the open sea.
Vítor Ananias told reporters that between the heat, the vessel's fumes and high waves, with difficult weather conditions, even one day is tricky for the four men on board. By the end of 15 or 20 days all you want is to get out.
Such incidents like these had been a recurring situation in recent years, he added.
In March, a similar vessel carrying 6.5 tonnes of cocaine was seized about 1,200 nautical miles from Lisbon.
This seizure comes as the Trump administration ramps up its attacks on vessels it says are being used to smuggle drugs into the US, raising questions regarding the legality of such strikes under international law. Criticism has been directed at these operations from various Latin American countries, particularly after incidents involving civilian casualties.
