Spanish cops have seized cannabis worth a massive €400 million on the high seas – thanks to Irish investigators, it has emerged.
The Mirror has established that a special Irish section of the EU’s anti-drugs smuggling unit oversaw the investigation and provided key intelligence that led to the huge seizure of almost 20 tonnes of hashish, the most potent form of cannabis, on this ship off the Canary Islands on Sunday.
The raid was carried out by a special unit of the Spanish police – following the investigation by the Irish desk of MAOC-N, the anti-drugs agency commanded by former Garda Assistant Commissioner Michael O’Sullivan.
Heavily armed officers used a RHIB inflatable to storm the Togo-registered tanker Natalia off Fuerteventura – and recovered the hash, as well as 11 Syrian crew members, who were all arrested.
The cops put the drugs on display in the Spanish port of las Palmas yesterday – and these photos show just how big the haul was.
Sources said investigators believed the drugs were destined for western Europe, probably including Ireland.
Mr O’Sullivan, who previously headed up the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, confirmed to The Mirror last night that the investigation was led by gardai and Irish customs officials on secondment to MAOC-N, which is based in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon.
Mr O’Sullivan, who once personally arrested and prosecuted drugs kingpin Christy “the Dapper Don” Kinahan for cocaine dealing in Dublin told The Mirror: “Following investigations and intelligence by the Irish desk at MAOC-N into suspected drug trafficking by the cargo vessel Natalia… the Spanish authorities boarded the vessel on August 8. Twenty tonnes of hashish were discovered hidden among the normal cargo.
And he added the find showed just how important international cooperation was – including by Irish authorities.
Mr O’Sullivan said: “It is a huge blow to a trans national organised crime group and proves the benefit of international law enforcement cooperation.”
Spanish cops had been following the boat for several days thanks to the Irish intelligence and made their move against it on Sunday when they realised it was in danger of sinking.
The operation began in January of this year when Irish investigators noticed suspicious activity from a shipping company in the Middle East.
The investigators realised that it one of their ships was re-registered from its original base in Togo to Palau in the Pacific Ocean – as well as renaming it the Natalia.
The investigators monitored the ship’s journey from Turkey and watched it move through the Mediterranean, before heading south towards the Canaries.
The ship was transferred to the port of Las Palmas and docked there on Sunday night and 638 bales of hashish were later found, totalling 19,876 kilos.
They also recovered another 20 kgs of cannabis in the crew’s quarters.
The 11 suspects are due in court in the Canaries later this week.
