Sailing boat intercepted with cocaine near the Canary Islands

On 7 July 2025, the Civil Guard, in collaboration with the National Police and Customs Surveillance, intercepted a sailing boat loaded with cocaine in waters near Canarias. The operation took place about 50 miles from the islands and was executed by the patrol vessel 'Sacre' and the special operations ship 'Petrel I'.

During the intervention, the crew members of the sailing boat caused a fire on board, resulting in serious injuries to one of them. This individual was urgently evacuated by Maritime Rescue. Although the sailing boat sank and much of the drug was destroyed by the fire, authorities managed to recover 25 kilos of cocaine.

Operation details

The operation is part of an intensified surveillance and maritime control plan in waters near Canarias. Recently, information had been received indicating that a sailing boat might be transporting a considerable amount of drugs and was planning to transfer them to a smaller vessel.

International collaboration was key in this operation. Intelligence information provided by the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of the United States was used. This information was managed through the Maritime Analysis Centre for Drug Trafficking in the Atlantic (MAOC) and coordinated nationally by the Intelligence Centre for Terrorism and Organised Crime (CITCO).

Consequences of the fire

The actions of the Customs patrol vessels were high-risk, given the poor sea conditions and the fire caused by the crew members. Thanks to the rapid response of the Customs Surveillance team, the initial fire was extinguished, and the sailing boat was boarded before the fire could reignite, which ultimately destroyed most of the cargo and the vessel, a sloop named 'Lona'.

The two crew members of the sailing boat, of French and Dutch nationality, have been arrested. Both are currently in custody, and one of them is still receiving medical attention for the serious injuries sustained in the incident.