In an extensive operation dubbed "Black Shadow," law enforcement across Europe and beyond has arrested 48 suspects and dismantled a complex cocaine smuggling operation involving the Canary Islands, resulting in significant drug seizures and the disruption of local distribution networks.
Major Cocaine Smuggling Operation Dismantled in Canary Islands Raids
Major Cocaine Smuggling Operation Dismantled in Canary Islands Raids
A coordinated international effort has led to the seizure of four tonnes of cocaine and numerous arrests tied to a smuggling network using speedboats from South America.
The effort to combat cocaine trafficking reached a critical point in the Canary Islands, where police have successfully dismantled a sophisticated smuggling organization responsible for transporting the narcotic from South America. Authorities reported the seizure of nearly four tonnes of cocaine and the arrest of 48 individuals in the operation, which spanned Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote.
Spanish law enforcement, alongside European and South American forces, coordinated "Operation Black Shadow," leading to the confiscation of 11 high-speed narco boats utilized in the trafficking operation. Investigators disclosed a detailed modus operandi involving a mother ship that ferried cocaine from strategic Atlantic drop-off points to the islands, using an abandoned shipwreck at sea as a refueling station.
Europol highlighted that the traffickers employed a sophisticated encrypted communication setup to evade capture, relying on satellite technology and coded language to maintain their operations. The operation involved extensive planning over several months, resulting in searches of 29 properties, recovery of 69 vehicles—including boats and jet skis—and the discovery of substantial cash and firearms.
The dismantling of this network illustrates the elaborate strategies employed by international drug trafficking organizations, particularly in relation to the significant European market for cocaine supplied by South American cartels.
Officers executed the raids with tactical precision, showcasing footage of armed teams breaching various locations, arresting numerous suspects, and performing thorough searches. This was not the first significant seizure directed at the Canary Islands, a location frequently exploited due to its tourist appeal and strategic location. Just months earlier, authorities intercepted a Venezuelan fishing vessel over 1,000 miles from shore carrying 3.3 tonnes of cocaine.
A spokesperson for the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) affirmed that their commitment to combating drug trafficking remains unwavering, seeking to intercept narcotics before reaching the UK market while collaborating with various international partners to address this critical issue in the fight against organized crime.
Spanish law enforcement, alongside European and South American forces, coordinated "Operation Black Shadow," leading to the confiscation of 11 high-speed narco boats utilized in the trafficking operation. Investigators disclosed a detailed modus operandi involving a mother ship that ferried cocaine from strategic Atlantic drop-off points to the islands, using an abandoned shipwreck at sea as a refueling station.
Europol highlighted that the traffickers employed a sophisticated encrypted communication setup to evade capture, relying on satellite technology and coded language to maintain their operations. The operation involved extensive planning over several months, resulting in searches of 29 properties, recovery of 69 vehicles—including boats and jet skis—and the discovery of substantial cash and firearms.
The dismantling of this network illustrates the elaborate strategies employed by international drug trafficking organizations, particularly in relation to the significant European market for cocaine supplied by South American cartels.
Officers executed the raids with tactical precision, showcasing footage of armed teams breaching various locations, arresting numerous suspects, and performing thorough searches. This was not the first significant seizure directed at the Canary Islands, a location frequently exploited due to its tourist appeal and strategic location. Just months earlier, authorities intercepted a Venezuelan fishing vessel over 1,000 miles from shore carrying 3.3 tonnes of cocaine.
A spokesperson for the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) affirmed that their commitment to combating drug trafficking remains unwavering, seeking to intercept narcotics before reaching the UK market while collaborating with various international partners to address this critical issue in the fight against organized crime.
