Portugal Seizes "Narco-Sub" with 1.7 Tonnes of Cocaine

Portuguese authorities, in a large-scale operation in the central Atlantic Ocean, have seized a semi-submersible vessel carrying over 1.7 tons of cocaine. The seizure of the drugs and the arrest of four crew members is reported by BBC News.

The operation, dubbed "El Dorado," was the result of international cooperation involving the Portuguese police, navy, and air force, in conjunction with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA).

The semi-submersible vessel, often called a "narco-submarine," was heading towards the Iberian Peninsula, which is one of the main gateways for South American drug cartels to transport drugs into Europe. These types of vessels are built so that most of their structure is underwater, making them difficult to detect by radar or from the air.

The detainees are of South American origin: two are citizens of Ecuador, one of Venezuela, and one of Colombia. On Tuesday, they appeared before a court in the Azores, where it was decided to apply pre-trial detention as a measure of restraint.

According to authorities, this batch of seized drugs was intended for distribution in several European countries. This is the second major operation carried out by Portuguese law enforcement this year. In March, in a joint operation with their Spanish colleagues, they managed to seize another "narco-submarine" that was carrying nearly seven tons of cocaine.

This success once again underscores the importance of close international cooperation in the fight against transnational drug trafficking.