Spanish police have dismantled a massive international cocaine trafficking operation that used high-speed boats to ferry drugs from South America to the Canary Islands. Authorities seized nearly four tonnes of cocaine and arrested 48 individuals in coordinated raids across Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote.
Operation Black Shadow: Global Law Enforcement Collaboration
Dubbed Operation Black Shadow, the multi-national sting involved law enforcement agencies from Spain, the UK, the US, and several South American countries. Spanish Policia Nacional described the network as one of the largest and most sophisticated cocaine smuggling rings ever intercepted in the region.
The gang reportedly used a fleet of 11 “narco boats” to repeatedly shuttle cocaine from Brazil and Colombia across the Atlantic. Europol revealed that these speedboats were launched from strategic Atlantic locations and met with a larger “mother ship” carrying the narcotics. A key element of the operation involved an abandoned wreck at sea, repurposed as a refuelling hub for the boats.
Encrypted Communication and High-Tech Evasion Tactics
Authorities say the criminals employed advanced technology to avoid detection, including encrypted communications, satellite terminals, and untraceable phones with coded language. In total, police searched 29 properties, seized 69 vehicles including boats and jet skis, and recovered cash and firearms.
The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed that a British national was among those arrested, underscoring the international scope of the network. “Alongside our international partners, we are relentless in our efforts to tackle drug trafficking across borders,” said an NCA spokesperson.
Local Distribution Network Uncovered in Canary Islands
Spanish authorities also uncovered a local distribution network within the Canary Islands, responsible for circulating the cocaine once it arrived from South America.
Video footage released by Spanish police showed armed officers raiding homes and arresting suspects. In a similar December 2024 operation, authorities intercepted a Venezuelan fishing boat carrying 3.3 tonnes of cocaine, which sank while they towed it to shore. Authorities hailed Operation Black Shadow as a major blow to transatlantic drug cartels.
