Portuguese Authorities Seize 1.7 Tonnes of Cocaine from Narco-Sub

Sat Dec 20 2025 14:27:26 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a significant drug bust, Portuguese authorities have intercepted a narco-submarine carrying 1.7 tonnes of cocaine in the Atlantic Ocean, leading to the arrest of four individuals linked to the shipment.

Portuguese law enforcement has successfully captured a narco-submarine off the coast of Lisbon, seizing over 1.7 tonnes of cocaine. Four crew members from South America have been detained, and the operation showcased international cooperation against drug trafficking. The submersible ultimately sank at sea due to its fragile condition.

Four people have been detained after Portuguese authorities intercepted a narco-sub carrying more than 1.7 tonnes of cocaine in the mid-Atlantic.

The semi-submersible vessel was bound for the Iberian peninsula and was seized in recent days, according to officials.

Footage shows the police and navy surrounding the vessel before boarding, seizing the Class A substance, and arresting four crew members, who are said to be from South America.

The suspects, including two Ecuadorians, a Venezuelan, and a Colombian, were remanded in pre-trial custody after their court appearance in the Azores on Tuesday, said police.

Vítor Ananias, head of Portugal's police unit to combat drug trafficking, told a press conference that their different nationalities showed the organisation behind them was not just based in one country.

The Lisbon-based Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC) indicated it had received intelligence regarding a criminal organisation dispatching a submersible loaded with cocaine intended for Europe.

A few days later, a Portuguese ship successfully located the submersible approximately 1,000 nautical miles off the coast of Lisbon, aided by the UK's National Crime Agency and the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

Having seized the vessel, the navy stated it could not be towed to shore due to adverse weather and its delicate construction, resulting in it sinking in the open sea.

Ananias remarked that situations like this had become a recurring event in recent years.

In March, a similar vessel carrying 6.5 tonnes of cocaine was seized about 1,200 nautical miles from Lisbon.

This comes amidst intensified actions by the Trump administration against vessels suspected of smuggling drugs into the US. Recent reports highlighted a US strike that resulted in the deaths of three men on an alleged drug vessel in the Caribbean.