Agents of the National Police, in a joint operation with the DEA and French Customs (DNRED), have intercepted a fishing vessel in waters near the Canary Islands that was carrying 2.7 tons of cocaine. Operation Atunero has allowed the boarding of this vessel, flying the Venezuelan flag, which had set sail from the South American country with course to the Spanish coasts. In addition, the ten crew members of the ship belonging to a Venezuelan cartel dedicated to cocaine trafficking have been arrested.
The operation began in early 2024 when agents of the National Police, in collaboration with the US DEA, began to investigate a criminal organization based in Venezuela, which sent significant amounts of cocaine by fishing vessels.
During the investigations, it was learned that in the month of March, a fishing boat flying the Venezuelan flag was going to set sail from that country bound for the Spanish coasts. The investigators confirmed that the fishing vessel had made a shipment of three tons of narcotic substance. Thanks to the coordination and international intervention mechanisms, the National Police and the DEA monitored said vessel.
Logistical problems prevented a meeting 250 nautical miles from Tenerife
The agents learned that the Spanish organization had prepared speedboats to reach the meeting point of the fishing vessel, about 250 nautical miles from Tenerife, and transport the drugs to land. However, the mother ship had logistical problems and could not reach the meeting, its crew communicating that they needed to return to repair it and replenish supplies to return in 8 or 10 days.
After this, agents of the National Police requested the collaboration of the French authorities for the interception of the fishing vessel, taking place a boarding in a joint operation, which resulted in the arrest of the ten crew members of the vessel and the seizure of 80 bundles of cocaine that yielded a weight of 2,700 kilos of narcotic substance.
