Drug-smuggling submarine captured off Spanish coast

SPANISH police have, for what is believed to be the first time, intercepted a submarine being used to smuggle drugs into Europe – and seized a reported three tons of Colombian cocaine.

Police sources say the 20m-long submarine, thought to be similar to those used by drug traffickers to transport cocaine from Colombia to Mexico and the US, was detected in waters off the north-western region of Galicia when its three-man crew got into difficulties due to engine problems.

Two Ecuadorean men were arrested, but a manhunt continues for a third member of the gang, who is reported to be a Spanish citizen.

Before attempting to escape on land, the crew deliberately sank the vessel with a large amount of the cocaine still on board after reportedly dumping some of their cargo at sea. Javier Losada,

the Spanish government’s delegate in Galicia, said the operation to intercept the submarine had been coordinated with other international security forces, and the authorities were trying to refloat the sunken vessel.

According to La Voz de Galicia, a daily newspaper, the DEA and Portuguese investigators had information on the movements of the submarine, which they believe made a stopover in Cape Verde and was also detected on the coast of Portugal.

Police investigators believe that the crew had attempted to rendezvous at sea with a fishing vessel to offload the drugs, but the drop-off did not work out and the submarine was forced to return close to the shore with technical problems, including a lack of fuel.

At around 3am on Sunday, the police spotted the submarine’s bow around 80m off Praia do Foxos beach, prompting the crewmen to abandon ship after opening a hatch to sink the vessel.