The patrol boat ‘Meteoro’ stops a 2-ton drug haul

The offshore patrol vessel ‘Meteoro’ took part in an anti-drug operation in the Atlantic Ocean resulting in the seizure of 1,800 kilos of cocaine aboard a recreational vessel.

The vessel was sailing 800 miles off the Canary Islands and was being tracked by the OPV’s electronic systems. After conducting a search of the vessel, 85 bundles of cocaine were found and, together with four people (one from Holland and three from Cape Verde), were transported aboard the patrol vessel ‘Meteoro’.

The operation was conducted in cooperation with the Special Operations Group (GEO) of the Spanish National Police. The recreational vessel was manned by members of the OPV’s crew and then proceeded towards the port of Las Palmas where the four arrested people were handed over to the corresponding judicial authorities.

These surveillance operations, in cooperation with other State Departments with responsibilities in the maritime domain, (in this case the National Police and more specifically the Spanish Bureau of Drugs and Organized Crime) are intended to enhance maritime security and are part of the role of the Armed Forces in relation to the surveillance of areas of sovereignty.