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Law enforcement authorities seized a “narco-sub” in international waters of the Atlantic Ocean near Portugal heading for the Iberian Peninsula. The submarine was carrying nearly 6,500 kilos, or almost 7.2 tons of cocaine.
According to media outlet Milenio, the drugs seized in this one bust was equal to a quarter of all cocaine seizures made in Portugal in 2024.
Agents from the Spanish Civil Guard, the Portuguese Judicial Police, the Portuguese Navy and Air Force, the United Kingdom’s National Anti-Drug Agency (NCA), the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC), an initiative of eight EU member states to combat drug trafficking, participated in the operation dubbed “Nautilus.”
La primera IMAGEN del MAYOR alijo de la historia en un #narcosubmarino dirigido a #Europa, en @narcodiario pic.twitter.com/gETnKFryqt
— Narcodiario (@narcodiario) March 25, 2025
The submarine was intercepted in the Atlantic Ocean about 500 nautical miles south of the Azores. Its final destination was reported as being “various countries on the European continent.”
The Portuguese Judicial Police stated that the “narco sub” belonged to a “transnational criminal organization.” Five crew members were arrested during the seizure.
23 tons of cocaine were seized in Portugal in 2024, a record year for the country which is often used as one of the entry points for illegal drugs being smuggled into Europe. Most of the drugs entering Portugal by sea reportedly originate in Latin America.
📢📢📢📢 Incautan el MAYOR NARCOSUBMARINO de la historia. Con 6.600 kilos de #cocaína , partió de #brasil y se dirigía a la #peninsulaiberica con 5 tripulantes. Toda la info, A FONDO, enhttps://t.co/X9UbZP30jn pic.twitter.com/JxNZUfjt9B
— Narcodiario (@narcodiario) March 25, 2025
In June of 2024, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro – a Legend Class National Security Cutter – returned to their home port in Alameda, Calif. seizing nearly 35,000 pounds of cocaine with a street value of $2 billion on the high seas.
This past February, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesch returned to port after seizing over 37,000 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of more than $275 million.