Portuguese authorities have intercepted a semi-submersible vessel carrying more than 1.7 tonnes of cocaine in the mid-Atlantic, in a joint operation between the Polícia Judiciária (PJ) and the Portuguese Navy.

The semi-submersible, reportedly operated by a criminal organisation, was bound for the Iberian Peninsula when it was located around 1,000 nautical miles (1,852 kilometres) off the coast of Lisbon. The operation was supported by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

A video shared by the PJ on X showed Portuguese naval forces surrounding the semi-submersible before boarding it. Officers then seized the cocaine and arrested four men on board. The suspects, identified as two Ecuadorians, a Venezuelan, and a Colombian, were taken to the Azores, where a court ordered them to be held in pre-trial custody.

Vítor Ananias, head of the PJ’s anti-drug trafficking unit, said the different nationalities of the suspects showed that the criminal network involved was spread across several countries. He added that the voyage conditions inside such vessels are extremely difficult, with high temperatures, fumes, and rough seas making even short journeys hazardous.

Numa ação concertada entre a #PJ e a @MarinhaPT decorreu uma operação de combate ao tráfico de estupefacientes, que permitiu intercetar um semi-submersível, de uma organização criminosa transnacional, que levava mais de 1,7 toneladas de cocaína, com destino à Península Ibérica.🎯 pic.twitter.com/Cm9zQWZyz5

— Polícia Judiciária (@PJudiciaria) November 4, 2025

The Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC) in Lisbon said it had received intelligence that a criminal group was sending a submersible loaded with cocaine to Europe. Acting on this tip, Portuguese forces located and intercepted the vessel.

After seizing the drugs, the navy tried to tow the semi-submersible but was unable to bring it to port due to poor weather conditions and its fragile structure. The vessel later sank in open waters after the operation concluded.

Authorities said such operations have become common in recent years. In March, another semi-submersible carrying 6.5 tonnes of cocaine was seized about 1,200 nautical miles from Lisbon.

The United States has intensified its actions against drug trafficking at sea, launching strikes on suspected vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, bringing the death toll to nearly 70. Latin American leaders and legal experts have raised concerns regarding their legality under international law.

Reference: BBC