Spain: seizure of the first "submarine narco" manufactured in Europe

The Spanish police have got their hands on a nine-meter submarine dedicated to drug trafficking and considered the first built in Europe, we learned on Monday March 15 from Europol and the Spanish police.

To read also: Spain: more than 30 tons of hashish seized on “narco-sailboats”

The semi-submersible was discovered in a warehouse in the coastal city of Malaga, in southern Spain, according to a statement from the authorities.

According to Europol, it would be "

".

With a diameter of three meters, it was being built in an artisanal way when it was seized by investigators, who estimate that it was equipped to transport up to two tons of narcotics.

The submersible discovered in recent days was seized as part of an operation also involving the police forces of Colombia, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United States and the United Kingdom, with international activity coordinated by the agency. European police, Europol.

A laboratory discovered near Barcelona

A total of 52 people were arrested and Spanish police raided 47 homes in Barcelona, ​​Malaga and eight other Spanish cities.

Besides the submarine, they also discovered in the Barcelona area a sophisticated laboratory capable of producing 750 kilos of drugs per month, a 15-meter fiberglass boat, 400 kilos of cocaine, 700 kilos of hashish and more. 100,000 euros in cash.

More than 300 officers were involved in the operation that began last year when police discovered a network involved in trafficking large amounts of cocaine, hashish and marijuana.

Led by nationals of Spain, Colombia and Dominicans, the organization was based in Catalonia, in northeastern Spain.

In November, police arrested the head of the network in the eastern coastal city of Tarragona, along with 13 accomplices.

Another branch of the network, located on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain, was discovered last month.

In November 2019, police intercepted in Spain what was considered the first narco-submarine ever seized in Europe, but which was built in Latin America where their use is common.