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| Canary Islands: 48 arrested in international cocaine gang bust | Canary Islands: 48 arrested in international cocaine gang bust |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The EU police agency Europol released footage of suspects being arrested on the Spanish islands | The EU police agency Europol released footage of suspects being arrested on the Spanish islands |
| A major cocaine smuggling operation that used a network of speedboats to transport drugs from South America to the Canary Islands has been taken down, police have said. | A major cocaine smuggling operation that used a network of speedboats to transport drugs from South America to the Canary Islands has been taken down, police have said. |
| Almost four tonnes of cocaine trafficked from Brazil and Colombia were seized and 48 suspects arrested in raids across Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. | |
| Spain's Policia Nacional said the gang used 11 so-called narco boats to smuggle the drugs across the Atlantic in a complex operation that involved using an abandoned wreck at sea as a refuelling platform. | Spain's Policia Nacional said the gang used 11 so-called narco boats to smuggle the drugs across the Atlantic in a complex operation that involved using an abandoned wreck at sea as a refuelling platform. |
| Police forces from Europe, including the UK, as well as South America and the US were involved in planning the raids, dubbed Operation Black Shadow. | |
| The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed that a British national was among those arrested. | The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed that a British national was among those arrested. |
| Europol said the gang used speedboats "repeatedly, departing from strategic points in the Atlantic Ocean to a mother ship transporting the cocaine". | Europol said the gang used speedboats "repeatedly, departing from strategic points in the Atlantic Ocean to a mother ship transporting the cocaine". |
| Investigators revealed the gang used "a complex encrypted communications system to evade law enforcement, including the use of satellite terminals, hard-to-trace phones and a coded language". | Investigators revealed the gang used "a complex encrypted communications system to evade law enforcement, including the use of satellite terminals, hard-to-trace phones and a coded language". |
| Police said the raids were months in the planning and saw 29 properties searched, 69 vehicles seized - including boats and jet skis - and cash and firearms recovered. | Police said the raids were months in the planning and saw 29 properties searched, 69 vehicles seized - including boats and jet skis - and cash and firearms recovered. |
| Details of the raids shine a light on the complexity of the networks international drug smuggling gangs use to get narcotics into Europe, a major market for South American-based cartels. | Details of the raids shine a light on the complexity of the networks international drug smuggling gangs use to get narcotics into Europe, a major market for South American-based cartels. |
| Police say €100,000 (£84,000/$114,000) and guns were found during the raids | Police say €100,000 (£84,000/$114,000) and guns were found during the raids |
| Spanish police said the operation had "dismantled one of the largest criminal organisations dedicated to cocaine trafficking". | Spanish police said the operation had "dismantled one of the largest criminal organisations dedicated to cocaine trafficking". |
| The force also said it had identified a local network in the Canary Islands responsible for distributing the cocaine once it had arrived from South America. | The force also said it had identified a local network in the Canary Islands responsible for distributing the cocaine once it had arrived from South America. |
| Footage of the raids published by Spanish police showed armed and masked officers raiding several houses, arresting suspects and carrying out searches. | Footage of the raids published by Spanish police showed armed and masked officers raiding several houses, arresting suspects and carrying out searches. |
| It is not the first time police have intercepted a large amount of cocaine bound for the Canary Islands, a Spanish territory and popular tourist destination lying around 100km (62 miles) off the west African coast. | It is not the first time police have intercepted a large amount of cocaine bound for the Canary Islands, a Spanish territory and popular tourist destination lying around 100km (62 miles) off the west African coast. |
| Police announced in December that they had intercepted a Venezuelan fishing boat 1,000 miles out at sea. | Police announced in December that they had intercepted a Venezuelan fishing boat 1,000 miles out at sea. |
| It was discovered the vessel - which was so dilapidated it sank while being towed to shore - was carrying 3.3 tonnes of cocaine. | It was discovered the vessel - which was so dilapidated it sank while being towed to shore - was carrying 3.3 tonnes of cocaine. |
| Commenting on the latest raid, an NCA spokesperson said: "Alongside our international partners, we are relentless in our efforts to tackle drug trafficking across borders, ensuring it's seized before it reaches the UK criminal supply chain." | Commenting on the latest raid, an NCA spokesperson said: "Alongside our international partners, we are relentless in our efforts to tackle drug trafficking across borders, ensuring it's seized before it reaches the UK criminal supply chain." |