4,000 kilograms of cocaine allegedly from Turkey seized in Spain: Turkish crew detained

12PUNTO FOREIGN NEWS

A cargo ship that departed from Turkey was stopped in Spanish territorial waters on suspicion of 'drug trafficking.' Spanish police found 4,000 kilograms of cocaine during a search of the vessel. The ship's captain, a Turkish citizen, and 10 crew members were detained.

According to reports in the Spanish press, following a tip-off from the Lisbon-based Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre - Narcotics (MAOC-N), two ships belonging to the Spanish and French Customs authorities conducted an operation on the Turkey-bound cargo ship.

According to Barron's News, the teams that boarded the ship seized a total of 4,000 kilograms of drugs hidden among the cargo.

Five Turkish citizens, including the ship's captain, two Azerbaijanis, and one Dutch national were detained on suspicion of drug trafficking.

COCAINE SEIZED ON THE SHIP

In a statement made by the authorities, it was stated that the ship was making an 'anti-economic' voyage. This means that the ship had been sailing in various seas without engaging in any trade.

According to Spanish newspapers, the ship first passed from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. It then did not stop at major trading ports such as Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau and continued its voyage without loading any cargo or supplies at any port.

The intervention by French and Spanish ships was carried out within the scope of the two countries' joint 'Pascal-Lino 2024' project. The goal of the project is to prevent all types of illegal economic maritime activities by tightening controls at sea.

News Source: 12punto