THE Guardia Civil has seized a narco-boat to the south of Gran Canaria which was carrying over three tonnes of cocaine.
Five people of undisclosed nationality have been arrested following a high-speed chase.
The detainees, aged between 21 and 41, will appear before a judge on Saturday.
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They face charges of drug trafficking, serious disobedience, the illegal possession of weapons and belonging to a criminal organisation.
The vessel was spotted around 70 nautical miles south of Gran Canaria by Guardia Civil officers on a Maritime Service boat- the Rio Ara.
They identified it as a craft used to transport drugs but the narco-boat speeded off as officers tried to stop it.
A high-speed chase ensued and despite some successful manoeuvres to evade capture, the boat and its contents were eventually intercepted.
The Guardia discovered 139 large blocks of cocaine aboard, weighting in at a total of 3,360 kilos.
The crew also had an assault rifle and a light machine gun to help repel attacks by rival gangs.
Such weapons are strictly forbidden to be owned by individuals.
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