6.5 Tons

Spanish police said Sunday that they seized 6.5 tons of cocaine and arrested nine people after a U.S. tip-off led them to raid a ship off the Canary Islands a few days ago. https://t.co/is8Lb3Qa5h

— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 27, 2025

… In a statement, police said the narcotics were hidden in the hold of the boat, which was flying a Tanzanian flag and had departed from Panama en route to Vigo, in north-west Spain. The cargo ship, which was approximately 177 feet long, had unusual structures on board which concealed the narcotics, officials said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. federal agency responsible for combating drug trafficking, provided key "information" that enabled the operation to succeed, the press release stated.

Police released video on social media showing officers on a speed boat intercepting the alleged drug-trafficking ship.

Spanish police intercepted a ship carrying 6.5 tons of cocaine about 960 km off the Canary Islands.

Nine crew members were detained.
Last year’s record? 13 tons hidden among bananas. pic.twitter.com/7bJkU7IoyO

— Defense Intelligence (@DI313_) October 27, 2025

Spain is one of the main gateways for cocaine into Europe, due to its links with Latin America, where the drug is produced, and its geographical location in the southwest of the continent.