27.01.2026 01:14
An international drug cartel that implemented a plan that would never occur to the devil turned the Atlantic Ocean into a floating logistics center. The network, which transported tons of drugs to Europe using speedboats from floating bases, was dismantled in an operation led by the Spanish police.
The Spanish police dismantled a large drug trafficking network that was shipping tons of drugs to Europe by establishing floating bases in the Atlantic Ocean. In an operation conducted with international cooperation, one of the largest overseas drug networks in recent years was uncovered.
DISMANTLED BY INTERNATIONAL OPERATION
In a statement made by the Spanish police, it was noted that as a result of the investigation carried out with the support of security units from the USA, Portugal, France, Cape Verde, and Colombia, as well as Europol, an organized crime network operating in the Atlantic Ocean was revealed. It was reported that the network had shipped 57 tons of cocaine to Europe through Spain and Portugal alone last year.
105 ARRESTS, TONS OF DRUGS
As part of the "Sombra Negra" operations conducted in June and November, a total of 49 addresses were raided, and 105 suspects were arrested. In the operations, more than 10 tons of cocaine, as well as 70 vehicles, 30 boats, 6 real estates, 3 weapons, over 800,000 euros in cash, drones, hundreds of mobile phones, and numerous bank accounts were seized. Additionally, advanced technology electronic equipment used in maritime smuggling, with a total value of 2.5 million euros, was also confiscated.
FLOATING BASES IN THE ATLANTIC
The investigation revealed that speedboats belonging to the network set out from rivers in Spain, the shores of Morocco, and Portugal to the Atlantic Ocean, where they met with mother ships to transport drugs to land. It was determined that the traffickers could stay on the platforms they established at sea for more than a month, had their own fuel depots, and used approximately 100,000 liters of fuel.
ENCRYPTED COMMUNICATION AND SURVEILLANCE NETWORK
It was recorded that network members used encrypted phones, communicated with special codes, and received instructions for night operations. It was also determined that the traffickers set up checkpoints to monitor police movements at sea and in the air and conducted surveillance activities.
12 MILLION EUROS AS "SILENCE MONEY"
Authorities revealed that the network tried every means to ensure its secrecy. Information in the investigation file indicated that a family of an organization member who died during one of the shipments was paid 12 million euros as "silence money" in exchange for their silence.