Customs and law enforcement authorities on the island of Tenerife, specifically within the Santa Cruz de Tenerife area, reported a significant narcotics seizure tied to a maritime operation. In a routine screening during a ship’s call for refueling, authorities intercepted 200 kilograms of cocaine that had been concealed inside a cooling nozzle connected to the vessel’s propulsion system. The discovery occurred on a Northern Mamore vessel that was temporarily halted for technical reasons while en route from Brazil toward Lisbon, Portugal.
The seizure followed a coordinated intervention by personnel from the United States liaison presence at the Santa Cruz de Tenerife port, but the enforcement actions were carried out under the umbrella of the local port protection and customs units. The Santa Cruz de Tenerife Unified Customs Inspection Unit conducted the screening as part of ongoing efforts to inspect cargo and vessel safety areas during port calls, particularly for ships maneuvering through the mooring zone.
At the time of docking in the mooring area near the port’s number 2 facility, early in the morning hours of August 5, the vessel Nord Mamore was reported to be refueling. The official declaration stated that the cargo originated from Egypt and was destined for the port of Lisbon. While the inspection focused on standard cargo and common ship spaces, investigators expanded the search to other areas of the vessel following initial findings.
During the comprehensive inspection, law enforcement teams discovered eight separate beams concealed within the mouthpiece assembly and in proximity to other ship components. The concealment was uncovered during a routine assessment of the ship’s cooling water intake system, with GEAS, the underwater operations unit of the Civil Guard, carrying out the detailed detection work from outside the vessel. The operation highlighted how hidden concealment methods might be integrated into critical ship infrastructure, presenting a potential risk to port security and maritime safety.
The subsequent examination by divers confirmed the presence of narcotics in the concealed packages. After careful weighing and verification, investigators confirmed the total weight of the seized contraband to be 200 kilograms. The finding underscores the persistent challenges faced by port authorities in identifying sophisticated concealment tactics used by illicit networks attempting to move illegal drugs by sea. The routine port clearance procedures, combined with targeted inspections and specialized underwater search capabilities, were instrumental in preventing the distribution of the substance within European transit corridors.