Stormy Drug Bust in Strait of Gibraltar
A 49-year-old man and 53-year-old woman were arrested on December 10 after their sailing boat ran into trouble during a fierce storm in the Strait of Gibraltar. The vessel was suspected of ferrying drugs from Morocco.
NCA Tips Off Spanish Authorities
Acting on an alert from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre for Narcotics (MAOC-N) in Lisbon, Spanish customs intercepted the boat. A Spanish patrol escorted it into Cadiz port for a thorough search.
130 Bales of Cannabis Resin Seized
Spanish National Police and customs officers found 130 bales of cannabis resin onboard. The details of this major haul have just been made public. The man and woman remain in custody in Spain as investigations continue.
International Effort to Hit Organised Crime
Steve Reynolds, NCA International Regional Manager, said:
“This was an international operation which led to a substantial seizure of narcotics. We suspected the vessel was shipping drugs across the Atlantic, so the NCA worked closely with MAOC-N and our Spanish colleagues to get it stopped. Working with our law enforcement partners, we are determined to disrupt organised crime networks involved in the global drugs trade.”
