Portuguese Authorities Seize Narco-Submarine Carrying 1.7 Tonnes of Cocaine in Atlantic

Portuguese naval and police forces have intercepted a semi-submersible vessel carrying more than 1.7 tonnes of cocaine in the mid-Atlantic, detaining four South American crew members in an operation highlighting the sophisticated transnational networks smuggling narcotics into Europe.

The narco-submarine was seized approximately 1,000 nautical miles (1,852 kilometers) off the coast of Lisbon in recent days, according to Portuguese authorities. The operation involved cooperation from the UK's National Crime Agency and the US Drug Enforcement Administration, demonstrating international coordination against maritime drug trafficking.

Four suspects—two Ecuadorians, one Venezuelan, and one Colombian—appeared in court in the Azores on Tuesday and were remanded in pre-trial custody. The vessel was bound for the Iberian Peninsula before interception.

Vítor Ananias, head of Portugal's police unit combating drug trafficking, told a press conference that the suspects' different nationalities demonstrated the criminal organization behind the operation was not based in a single country but represented a multinational trafficking network.

The Lisbon-based Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC) received intelligence in recent days indicating a criminal organization was dispatching a cocaine-loaded submersible destined for Europe. Portuguese authorities successfully located and intercepted the vessel days later in international waters.

Footage released by authorities shows police and navy personnel surrounding the semi-submersible before boarding, seizing the Class A substance, and arresting the four crew members. The operation occurred in challenging conditions, with high waves and difficult weather complicating the interdiction.

After the seizure, Navy officials determined the vessel could not be towed to shore due to poor weather conditions and its fragile construction. The narco-submarine subsequently sank in the open sea, though authorities had removed the cocaine and detained the crew.

Ananias described the extremely difficult conditions faced by crew members aboard such vessels: "Between the heat, the vessel's fumes and high waves, with difficult weather conditions, even one day is tricky [for the four men on board]. By the end of 15 or 20 days, all you want is to get out."

Semi-submersible vessels typically travel just below the water surface to avoid radar detection, making them difficult to spot but subjecting crews to confined spaces, limited ventilation, engine fumes, and rough seas for voyages lasting weeks. These conditions create severe health risks, including carbon monoxide poisoning, dehydration, and heat exhaustion.

Despite these dangers, criminal organizations continue using narco-submarines because of their effectiveness in evading detection. When successful, a single voyage carrying tonnes of cocaine generates profits far exceeding vessel construction costs and crew payments.

Ananias noted such incidents had been a "recurring situation in recent years," according to remarks quoted by Portugal's Lusa news agency. In March 2024, Portuguese authorities seized a similar vessel carrying 6.5 tonnes of cocaine, approximately 1,200 nautical miles from Lisbon—representing an even larger haul than the current seizure.

The recurring seizures suggest both the persistence of trafficking organizations attempting Atlantic crossings and the improvement of detection capabilities by European authorities. However, law enforcement acknowledges that successful interdictions likely represent only a fraction of attempted smuggling operations, with many vessels reaching European shores undetected.

Portugal's geographic position—jutting into the Atlantic Ocean on the Iberian Peninsula's western edge—makes it a natural landing point for maritime drug shipments from South America. The Azores archipelago, located approximately 1,400 kilometers west of mainland Portugal, provides additional strategic importance for interdiction operations in mid-Atlantic waters.

Semi-submersible vessels represent a sophisticated evolution in drug smuggling technology. Unlike fully submersible submarines requiring naval engineering expertise, semi-submersibles are relatively simple to construct, typically built in remote jungle locations along South American rivers.

These vessels usually measure 15-25 meters long, carry 2-10 tonnes of cargo, and cost $500,000-$2 million to build—modest investments given that successfully delivered cocaine shipments generate tens of millions in profits. Crews typically number 3-5 people who navigate using GPS and basic communications equipment.

Most narco-submarines are designed for single use, deliberately scuttled after delivering cargo or when facing interception. This explains why Portuguese navy officials allowed the seized vessel to sink rather than attempting recovery—the vessels have minimal value beyond their immediate smuggling purpose.

Colombian and Ecuadorian criminal organizations pioneered narco-submarine use in the Pacific Ocean for smuggling to Mexico and Central America. The technology has since expanded to Atlantic routes targeting European markets, where cocaine commands even higher prices than in North America.

The crew members' nationalities, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Colombia, reflect the geography of South American cocaine production and trafficking. Colombia remains the world's largest cocaine producer, while Ecuador has become a major transshipment point due to its Pacific ports and relatively weak law enforcement capacity compared to neighboring Colombia.

Venezuela's involvement, while perhaps surprising given its distance from primary coca-growing regions, reflects the country's economic crisis and political instability. These conditions have made Venezuelan nationals increasingly vulnerable to recruitment by trafficking organizations offering significant payments for dangerous work.

The multinational crew composition also serves operational purposes. Mixed nationalities complicate law enforcement investigations by requiring coordination across multiple jurisdictions and potentially creating diplomatic complications regarding prosecution and extradition.

Europe represents an increasingly lucrative market for South American cocaine. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates European cocaine consumption has grown substantially in recent years, with Western European countries now rivaling North America in demand.

Cocaine wholesale prices in Europe typically exceed those in the United States by 30-50%, providing strong incentives for traffickers to develop Atlantic shipping routes despite longer distances and greater risks compared to Caribbean routes to North America.

Portugal, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands serve as primary European entry points for South American cocaine. Once on European soil, the drug is distributed through established criminal networks across the continent, including West African trafficking organizations that have become significant players in European drug markets.

For Ghana and West Africa, the seizure highlights broader regional implications of transnational drug trafficking. West African nations—including Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and others—have increasingly featured as transit points for South American cocaine destined for Europe.

Ghana's Narcotics Control Commission (NACCOM) regularly intercepts cocaine shipments at Kotoka International Airport and Tema Port, demonstrating the country's position within trafficking networks. While Ghana has avoided the state capture seen in Guinea-Bissau—where trafficking organizations infiltrated government institutions—the country faces persistent challenges from transit trafficking.

The Atlantic seizure suggests some trafficking organizations now bypass West African transit routes entirely, using long-range narco-submarines to cross directly from South America to Europe. This evolution may reduce West African involvement in certain trafficking chains while potentially increasing competition among criminal organizations for remaining transit opportunities.

However, West African ports and airports remain crucial for air and commercial shipping routes that handle smaller, more frequent shipments compared to multi-tonne maritime deliveries. Ghana's law enforcement capacity and relatively stable governance make it both attractive for legitimate commerce and require careful monitoring to prevent exploitation by trafficking networks.

The international cooperation demonstrated in the Portuguese operation—involving UK and US agencies offers models for enhanced regional cooperation. ECOWAS has developed regional frameworks for combating drug trafficking, but implementation remains uneven across member states with varying capacity and political will.

The seizure occurs as the Trump administration escalates military action against suspected drug vessels. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Sunday that three men were killed last week in a US strike on an alleged drug vessel in the Caribbean.

These military strikes have generated significant controversy. International law experts have questioned their legality, particularly when conducted outside US territorial waters without authorization from affected coastal states. Latin American leaders have strongly criticized the strikes, especially when targeting their citizens.

The controversy reflects broader debates about appropriate responses to drug trafficking. While interdiction operations like Portugal's Atlantic seizure involve boarding vessels, seizing contraband, and arresting crew for prosecution, US strikes represent kinetic military action resulting in deaths without judicial process.

Critics argue such strikes violate international law principles, including sovereignty, due process, and proportionality. Supporters contend they represent a necessary deterrence against trafficking organizations that threaten US national security. The legal and ethical debates will likely intensify as the Trump administration continues this controversial policy.

The 1.7 tonnes of seized cocaine represents street value potentially exceeding €100 million ($106 million) in European markets—demonstrating the enormous profits motivating trafficking organizations to accept risks including vessel loss and crew imprisonment.

These profits fuel violence, corruption, and instability across cocaine production, transit, and consumption regions. In Colombia and Ecuador, trafficking organizations control territories, corrupt officials, and perpetrate violence against rivals and state actors. In Europe, cocaine distribution networks contribute to urban violence and organized crime.

For the four detained crew members, prosecution in Portuguese courts likely means lengthy prison sentences. Portugal's legal system will determine whether they face charges as low-level operatives or as significant organization members. Their cooperation with investigators could reduce sentences while providing intelligence about broader trafficking networks.

Portuguese authorities will continue investigating the criminal organization behind the shipment, likely seeking to identify financiers, coordinators, and intended recipients in Europe. The international cooperation that enabled the seizure, involving MAOC, UK, and US agencies, will support ongoing intelligence gathering.

The four detained suspects face prosecution in Portuguese courts, with trials potentially occurring months or years from now, depending on investigation complexity. Their testimony could lead to additional arrests and prosecutions across multiple countries.

For maritime drug interdiction more broadly, the seizure represents tactical success within a strategic stalemate. While each interdiction removes drugs from supply chains and disrupts specific operations, trafficking organizations rapidly adapt, build replacement vessels, and recruit new crews. The underlying economics' massive profit potential, meeting strong European demand, ensures continued smuggling attempts despite interdiction risks.

The Trump administration's controversial military strikes add unpredictable elements to Atlantic drug interdiction. Whether these actions prove effective deterrents or generate diplomatic costs exceeding security benefits remains contested. Latin American governments' strong criticism suggests potential complications for the regional cooperation that successful interdiction operations require.

For Ghana and West Africa, monitoring how trafficking routes evolve in response to Atlantic interdictions remains crucial. If direct South America-Europe routes become too risky or costly, traffickers may redirect more shipments through West African transit points, increasing pressure on regional law enforcement already facing capacity constraints and corruption vulnerabilities.

The seizure ultimately demonstrates both international law enforcement capability and the persistent challenge of disrupting highly profitable illicit markets that continuously adapt to enforcement pressures, a dynamic familiar to authorities worldwide combating transnational organized crime.