Watch: ‘Narco submarine’ en route to Spain’s Andalucia is busted with 6.6 tonnes of cocaine

A ‘NARCO submarine’ carrying 6.6 tonnes of cocaine has been intercepted en route to Spain’s Andalucia.

Believed to be the biggest narco sub ever, the ship was on the way to Sevilla’s Guadalquivir river. 

The bust was a joint operation between Spanish and Portuguese police, with the vessel stopped 500 miles south of the Azores Islands. 

According to Spanish forces, the ship was carrying 6.6 tonnes of cocaine and was managed by five people, one of them reportedly from Sevilla. 

They have all been arrested by Portuguese forces and are being held on São Miguel Island, Portugal.

Operation ‘Natutilus’ marks the first time a submarine has been intercepted on the high seas. 

The mission was carried out thanks to information shared via the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC-N) with Portuguese authorities, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and the USA’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

It is believed the drugs were to be spread throughout Europe after being picked up by speed boats near the Portuguese coast. 

Submarines are increasingly being used to traffic drugs as they are hard to detect and can carry high amounts of cargo. 

Traffickers can also easily sink the ships if surprised by authorities. 

According to the Guardia Civil, the submarine came from Brazil with an ‘undetermined’ amount of cocaine.

It follows the creation of the Maritime Intelligence team of the Central Operative Unit’s anti-drug group, designed to identify and dismantle drug trafficking operations heading to Spain. 

They are working alongside the Guardia Civil’s Regional Centre for Analysis and Intelligence against drug traffickers.