Staff Reports
In the ongoing battle against drug trafficking, a group of agents in Spain finds itself on a challenging mission that could be likened to a real-life game of hide-and-seek, but with much higher stakes. Equipped with only thermal cameras and their wits, these agents are patrolling the rugged coast of northern Spain, searching high and low for an unforeseen enemy – submarines built by drug cartels. These vessels, known as narco subs, are not your average submarines. Instead, they are often semi-submersible crafts that sit low in the water, making them tough to detect, especially in the vastness of the ocean.
Over the past five years, authorities have discovered just a handful of narco subs, only three of which were found near Galicia. However, estimates suggest that as many as 30 additional vessels may have successfully dodged detection during that time. In just one remarkable case, a narco sub traveled approximately 4,000 miles from Brazil to Spain, taking a staggering 27 days to make its journey across the Atlantic. This alarming revelation underscores how organized crime groups are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods, adapting to evade the prying eyes of law enforcement.
Building one of these narco subs is no small feat, costing around a million dollars each. Despite being dubbed submarines, many of them are more accurately described as semi-submersibles. These vessels can carry a shocking amount of cocaine—around $139 million worth—based on their cramped quarters and makeshift interiors. With enough room for just three crew members and lacking basic comforts like a toilet, these subs illustrate the lengths drug traffickers will go to get their illegal cargo from point A to point B.
As these agents brave the sea, they also face the reality that their resources are limited while the drug gangs continue to innovate. The traffickers often camouflage their subs according to the ocean they plan to navigate, making it nearly impossible for agents to spot them in open water. With only a small percentage of containers at European ports being physically inspected each year, it has become even tougher for authorities to catch the drugs smuggled within. Agents can only check 2 to 10% of the container traffic that flows through, which amounts to over 90 million containers.
The stakes are higher than ever, not only because of the sheer volume of drugs being trafficked but also due to the evolving tactics used by these gangs. The strategy employed by traffickers involves flooding the area with cocaine, overwhelming the available resources of law enforcement. This multi-pronged approach forces agents to scramble, searching every nook and cranny for the goods.
While authorities continue to make record-breaking seizures, they face the grim realization that drug cartels are always one step ahead, seemingly relentless in their cunning. The apprehension grows with concerns about the future, particularly about the potential use of unmanned drones to transport drugs. As agents strive to stay afloat in this ever-expanding maritime cat-and-mouse game, one thing is clear: the fight against drug trafficking has become an adrenaline-fueled race against time and innovation.
