Spanish Civil Guard Seizes 45 Tonnes Cocaine From Freighter Off Canary Islands

The Spanish Civil Guard has reported the interception of a freighter in international waters, resulting in the confiscation of a national record volume of cocaine. Between 30,000 and 45,000 kg of the drug were discovered on the vessel, which was intercepted off Spain's Canary Islands on Friday.

Around 20 individuals were arrested during the operation. The vessel had travelled from Sierra Leone and was en route to Libya, a known transhipment point for illicit goods entering the European market.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska acknowledged the seizure as “one of the biggest, not only nationally but internationally.” The Civil Guard’s main union, the AUGC, characterised the operation as a “historic blow to drug trafficking.”

While the freighter’s destination was Libya, previous patterns of drug interdictions suggest the cargo was likely intended for offloading onto smaller vessels for onward distribution across Europe. This operation surpasses a January seizure by Spanish authorities of nearly 10 tonnes of cocaine from a maritime vessel, underscoring the enduring challenge of illicit substance flows into the continent.