International Drug Bust Seizes 6.5 Tons of Cocaine in Atlantic

In a significant international drug bust, authorities intercepted a semi-submersible vessel carrying 6.5 tons of cocaine in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 500 nautical miles south of the Azores. The operation, known as Nautilus, involved collaboration among law enforcement from Portugal, the UK, the US DEA, and other international partners, marking one of the largest maritime drug seizures in recent history. The cocaine, valued at about £530 million, was bound for distribution across Western Europe after departing from Brazil. This seizure highlights the increasing use of narco-submarines by drug traffickers to evade law enforcement, as these vessels are designed to operate stealthily in the water. Concurrently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported a separate operation in which over 3,300 pounds of cocaine were seized from a suspected smuggling vessel in the Eastern Pacific, illustrating ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking operations targeting the U.S. market.