Record Spain Cocaine Seizure: Up to 45 Tonnes of Drugs Found on Cargo Ship near Canary Islands
Spanish authorities have seized between 30 and 45 tonnes of cocaine aboard the Comoros-flagged cargo vessel Arconian after intercepting the ship in the Atlantic Ocean near the Canary Islands during a major anti-drug operation carried out by the Civil Guard.
The 3,200-dwt general cargo ship was stopped last Friday in international waters while reportedly sailing from Sierra Leone to Libya. The operation has been described by police union AUGC as a “historic blow to drug trafficking,” with approximately 20 people arrested during the raid.
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said the seizure ranks among the biggest cocaine interceptions carried out not only in Spain but internationally, reflecting the growing scale of maritime narcotics trafficking through Atlantic shipping routes.
Authorities released images showing the vessel under escort as well as photographs of cocaine packages discovered inside the ship’s cargo hold. Spanish police stated that the operation marked a significant moment for the maritime division of the Civil Guard.
Investigators believe the cargo ship may have been intended to transfer the narcotics onto smaller vessels for distribution across European markets, a trafficking method increasingly linked to organized crime groups operating along West African maritime corridors.
The Arconian is listed as operated by Serenity Shipping in Sierra Leone, although the company could not immediately be contacted. Norwegian insurer Hydrea reportedly provides the vessel’s protection and indemnity insurance, according to UK shipbroker Clarksons.
Shipping records show the vessel has not faced port state control detentions since 2019. Previous inspection records also suggest operational activity across West Africa and Russian maritime regions.
The case adds to growing concerns within the global shipping industry over the increasing use of commercial cargo vessels for international cocaine smuggling, maritime organized crime, and cross-border narcotics trafficking targeting European ports and logistics networks.
