Spanish police and customs officials seized 3.3 tons of cocaine aboard a Venezuelan fishing boat near the Canary Islands and arrested its 10 crew members, authorities said Saturday.
The aging vessel, which was operating without lights, carried 110 packages of cocaine, each weighing about 30 kilograms (66 pounds). The National Police and Customs Surveillance Service said the ship was sunk after its interception because its poor condition made towing unsafe.
The crew, all identified as Latin Americans, were detained and transported to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, officials said.
The seizure was part of an international investigation involving the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as well as police forces in Brazil and Portugal. The probe, which began in mid-November, targeted a criminal organization smuggling large quantities of cocaine from Latin America to Europe.
In October, Spanish authorities made a record-breaking seizure of nearly 13 tons of cocaine in Algeciras, further highlighting Spain’s role as a major gateway for cocaine entering Europe.
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