Four tons of cocaine intercepted near Lanzarote, Dutchman arrested

Patrol boats from Spanish and French customs have intercepted four tons of cocaine in a cargo ship near the Canary Islands. The ten crew members, including a Dutchman, have been arrested.

The ship was sailing under the Tanzanian flag at a great distance from Lanzarote, the easternmost island of the Atlantic archipelago off the coast of northwest Africa. Turks and Azerbaijanis were among the other detainees.

The cargo ship attracted attention because it sailed from Turkey to West Africa without loading or unloading any goods and then, after making "erratic maneuvers," headed for the Iberian Peninsula, according to the authorities. The suspects wanted to transport the drugs in smaller boats to the coast of Spain, AD reported.

According to the newspaper, the Spanish and French authorities found the cocaine in a hidden compartment between the holds of the cargo ship, which was "very difficult to access."

In the Netherlands, the street value of cocaine is currently 52 euros per gram, as estimated by the National Drug Monitor. The value is even higher in other European countries, between 62 and 85 euros. This means that the 4 tons of cocaine intercepted near Lanzarote have a value of 248 to 340 million euros, according to AD.

Spain is a significant gateway for drugs into Europe due to its close ties to former colonies in Latin America and its proximity to Morocco, a major cannabis producer.