Agents of the National Police and Customs Surveillance officials of the Tax Agency released last November eight hostages from a drug kidnapping in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The members of a criminal organization were kidnapped by another member of the crew, of Serbian origin, while they were carrying out a maritime transport of more than 2,300 kilos of cocaine. To take control of the ship, the kidnapper allegedly shot one of the men and later threw his body into the sea.
In less than 12 hours, an intervention team arrived at the point in the Atlantic where the ship was located and, after several hours of negotiations on the high seas, they managed to arrest the kidnapper and the other eight crew members. The operation, which took place last November and has remained under seal, began when agents were investigating a criminal organization that intended to introduce 2.3 tons of cocaine into Spain from South America, aboard a tugboat.
The investigators learned that the drug was going to be transferred to a smaller boat, very close to the Canary Islands, so a joint device was prepared with the Customs Surveillance Service for the arrest of the crew and the seizure of the drug. The members of this joint team managed to identify the mother ship 'Sea Paradise' that was waiting for the second ship to transfer the drug.
A few hours before the planned boarding, the agents learned that one of the crew members of the tugboat, of Serbian origin, had kidnapped the rest of the crew. In less than twelve hours the agents were at the point in the Atlantic. The necessary logistical and human resources were quickly mobilized. Thus, a team of specialist pilots from Customs Surveillance transported a GEO unit aboard their ship 'Cóndor' to take charge of the situation, which had as its priority the safeguarding of the lives of the kidnapped.
At that moment, the agents stormed the 'Sea Paradise' and established initial contact with the crew, who confirmed that they were being held hostage by a Serbian man, who was armed and had shot one of the crew members.
On the high seas, a joint team of specialists from the National Police and Customs Surveillance negotiated for several hours, until they finally managed to get the kidnapper to drop the weapon and surrender to the authorities. Thus, they managed to save the crew, who feared for their lives, seize the narcotic substance and head to the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Once on land, the agents searched the ship and located a very difficult to access room where the 2,300 kilos of cocaine were found, divided into bundles that were attached to strobe lights and water bottles, so that the drug could float in the water until it was collected. As a result of 'Operation Neptune', nine people were arrested, 2.3 tons of cocaine and electronic and satellite equipment were seized.
