Spain Rescues and Arrests Four Crew Members of Submarine Suspected of Drug Trafficking

Spanish law enforcement has identified another submarine suspected of transporting drugs from Latin America to Europe and arrested its four crew members, all Colombian nationals. The Spanish Coast Guard discovered this small submarine, which had run aground at a depth of 20 meters in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 500 kilometers from the southwestern coast of Spain, and rescued its four occupants. In a statement on Wednesday, July 6, the Coast Guard said, 'Given the specifications of this submarine and the behavior of its crew, the responsible authorities believe it was carrying cocaine.' The statement adds that all four occupants have been rescued, but the submarine sank with its cargo in the ocean. The Spanish Coast Guard does not intend to recover the submarine from the water as evidence suggests it has sunk to a depth of 1,000 meters below the surface. This submarine, originating from Colombia, is similar to others that have been identified and seized by the Spanish Coast Guard in waters near the northwest of the country since 2019. A similar submarine seized last year was carrying three thousand kilograms of cocaine. Similar submarines have also been discovered and seized in waters near Central and South American coasts. These submarines typically operate at shallow depths and cannot complete their entire journey underwater. The governments of Colombia and Ecuador have stated that law enforcement actions to identify drug trafficking gangs using these vessels have been intensified. The Colombian Navy has reported that in just the six months since the beginning of the current calendar year, 13 similar vessels carrying drugs have been discovered and seized in waters near the coasts of this country in the Pacific Ocean.