Spanish police announced on Monday that for the first time they had seized “underwater drones” that could cross the Strait of Gibraltar between Morocco and Spain with up to 200 kilos of drugs on board.
The operation led to the seizure of three “underwater drones” — two in the works and one almost complete — “to be supplied to French drug traffickers for the transport of large quantities of cocaine,” police said in a press release.
In particular, these small, remote-controlled submersibles could be used to transport drugs on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar, she continued.
“This is the first time that this type of device, which operates underwater without a crew on board (…) and is known as a UUV (Unmanned Underwater Vehicle) or ‘underwater drone’, has been seized by the Spanish police,” the report said Explanation.
Eight people were arrested in Spain as part of this operation, which also led to the seizure of large aerial drones with a range of 30 kilometers, more than enough to cross the 15-kilometer strait separating Spain from Morocco and capable of transporting drugs.
The network, which had customers in Denmark, France, Italy or Spain, also offered other services, such as making raised floors in vehicles to hide and transport drugs.
Due to its cultural ties to Latin America, where the main cocaine producing countries are located, and its proximity to Morocco, a major hashish producer, Spain is one of the main drug gateways in Europe.