The seizure of the largest-ever cocaine shipment transported via a narco submarine in Europe underscores the increasing sophistication and effectiveness of a method used by drug traffickers to move cocaine from South America.

The Portuguese navy intercepted a submarine on March 25, which was carrying 6.5 tons of cocaine about 925 kilometers south of the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean.

The narco sub reportedly departed from the mouth of the Amazon River along Brazil’s coastline and was bound for an unknown destination on the Iberian Peninsula. Authorities arrested five crew members who were citizens of Brazil, Colombia, and Spain.

“There are very few successful interceptions of semi-submersibles,” said Sjoerd Top, director of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre–Narcotics (MAOC-N), in an interview with InSight Crime. “The Portuguese navy did a brilliant job,” he added, referring to the operation, which also involved Spain’s Civil Guard, Portugal’s Judicial Police, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), MAOC-N, and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA).

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In recent years, European authorities have intercepted a growing number of semi-submersibles, particularly along the Iberian coast, though these vessels are often found empty or sunk by the crew when discovered.

Spanish authorities discovered Europe’s first narco sub in October 2019, following a failed attempt to unload 3 tons of cocaine in the Ría de Aldán in Galicia — a seizure that, until now, was the largest of its kind. The vessel traveled some 3,000 kilometers over 26 days along Brazil’s Negro and Amazon rivers before reaching the Atlantic and crossing 11,112 kilometers  to Spain. 

“Until probably 5 or 6 years ago, we thought it was impossible,” said Top, noting the rough ocean conditions and the homemade construction of these vessels. 

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Transatlantic drug trafficking networks are increasingly turning to semi-submersibles, whose improved design allows for larger cocaine loads and longer-range missions.

These vessels are commonly used for short trips along rivers and coastlines in South America, typically carrying around 2.5 tons of cocaine due to size limitations. But recent upgrades in construction and design — coupled with their low detectability at sea — have enabled them to travel longer distances and carry heavier shipments across established maritime trafficking routes.

“You can really see the differences in their cargo capacity, their length, and above all, how far they can go,” said Top.

Semi-submersibles often transfer their cargo at sea to smaller boats such as go-fast vessels or fishing trawlers.

SEE ALSO: Submarines for Rent – The Best Option for Traffickers in Colombia

Multiple semi-submersibles have been detected in the eastern Atlantic since 2019, expanding their range beyond northwestern Iberia — the traditional gateway for cocaine into Europe via Galicia’s coastline — and appearing along new transoceanic routes.

In June 2024, Spanish authorities intercepted a semi-submersible carrying close to one metric ton of cocaine about 518.5 kilometers west of Cádiz province in southern Spain, a region where cocaine trafficking has surged recently.

Similarly, in January 2025, an empty narco sub was found with no crew off the coast of Black Johnson in Sierra Leone. West Africa’s shores have long served as a transshipment hub for cocaine bound for Europe. Sierra Leone has come under increased scrutiny since January 2025, when reports surfaced that Dutch drug trafficker Johannes Leijdekkers, alias “Bolle Jos,” a fugitive, may have been operating in the country and could be linked to the vessel.

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