28.01.2026 08:50
Nine tons of drugs were seized from a submarine stopped off the coast of Portugal, and four people were arrested in what is recorded as one of the largest drug operations in the country's history.
The Portuguese police announced that they stopped a semi-submersible drug carrier in an international operation off the Azores Islands and seized a record amount of drugs.
THE LARGEST OPERATION IN THE COUNTRY'S HISTORY
During the operation, a semi-submersible containing approximately 9 tons of drugs was detected in the Atlantic Ocean. It was reported that the total amount of drug bales reached approximately 9 tons, marking the largest drug seizure in Portugal's history.
SOME OF THE BALES FELL INTO THE SEA
The semi-submersible was stopped about 230 nautical miles off the Azores archipelago. The operation took place under challenging sea and weather conditions. Approximately 35 of the 300 bales on board the submarine fell into the sea during the operation.
4 PEOPLE WERE DETAINED
Three Colombians and one Venezuelan on the crew were detained. The seizure of the drugs before they reached the European market was considered a significant success in the fight against international drug trafficking.
According to the Portuguese police's statement, the Navy, Air Force, and officials from the US and UK also provided support during the operation. The market value of the drugs is estimated to be around 600 million euros (520 million pounds). Such semi-submersibles ("narco-subs") have increasingly been used in drug trafficking routes from Latin America to Europe, and the record amount seized highlighted the transatlantic drug corridors.