Four people have been detained after Portuguese authorities intercepted a narco-sub carrying more than 1.7 tonnes of cocaine in the mid-Atlantic.
The semi-submersible vessel was bound for the Iberian peninsula and was seized in recent days, according to officials.
Footage shows the police and navy surrounding the vessel before boarding, seizing the Class A substance and arresting four crew members, who are said to be from South America.
The suspects, including two Ecuadorians, a Venezuelan and a Colombian, were remanded in pre-trial custody after their court appearance in the Azores on Tuesday, said police.
Vítor Ananias, head of Portugal's police unit to combat drug trafficking, told a press conference that their different nationalities showed the organisation behind them was not just based in one country.
The Lisbon-based Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC) said it had received information indicating that a criminal organisation was in the process of dispatching a submersible loaded with cocaine destined for Europe.
A few days later, a Portuguese ship successfully located the submersible approximately 1,000 nautical miles (1,852km) off the coast of Lisbon, in an operation backed by the UK's National Crime Agency and the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
After seizing the vessel, the navy reported it could not be towed back to shore due to poor weather and its fragile construction, leading it to sink in the open sea.
Ananias noted the challenging conditions faced by the crew, exacerbated by heat and fumes, remarking on the drastic hardships over extended durations at sea.
This incident follows a pattern of similar operations in recent years, highlighting the persistent issue of drug trafficking in the Atlantic. In March of this year, a similar vessel was seized carrying 6.5 tonnes of cocaine.
Additionally, there are rising concerns related to US administration tactics against drug smuggling via military operations, drawing international criticism due to legality questions surrounding such actions.
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