A large-scale operation aimed at smuggling cocaine to the Canary Islands has been dismantled by authorities, with police successfully arresting 48 suspects. The operation, dubbed “Operation Black Shadow,” resulted in the seizure of almost four tonnes of cocaine trafficked from Brazil and Colombia.
Spanish police reported that the gang utilized a sophisticated system, including 11 “narco boats,” to transport drugs across the Atlantic Ocean, even employing an abandoned wreck as a refueling station in the sea. The extensive raids took place in Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote, following months of planning by cooperative law enforcement agencies from Europe, the UK, South America, and the US.
Europol noted that the traffickers used intricate encrypted communication methods to avoid capture, like satellite terminals and coded language. The operation involved searching 29 properties, seizing 69 vehicles—including boats and jet skis—and recovering cash and firearms.
Spanish authorities have confirmed that this bust has significantly impacted one of the largest criminal organizations dedicated to cocaine distribution in Europe.
