Sailboat with a ton of cocaine sinks in the seas of Madeira

A sailboat carrying more than a ton of cocaine was intercepted by the authorities in the south of the island of Madeira, as part of an operation to combat drug trafficking called ‘Tempestade’, but the vessel ended up sinking and three crew members were rescued.

In recent days, the Judiciary Police, the Navy and the Air Force launched an operation to combat the international trafficking of narcotics by sea, during which it was possible to locate and intercept a sailboat, called TAEPING UURAS, which was being used in the transport of large amounts of narcotics, informed the Image and Communication Office of the Judiciary Police.

Inside the vessel were 3 foreign citizens – two men and a woman – on whom there are strong suspicions of the crime of illicit drug trafficking, as well as more than 50 packages of cocaine with an estimated total weight of more than one ton, reveals the PJ.

“This operation took place in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Madeira Island, and the extremely adverse weather conditions forced the Navy ship to rescue the three crew members and part of the narcotic product, and the vessel ended up sinking”, mentions that criminal police body in a press release.

At the moment, the swell is from the Southeast quadrant with strong wind and sea waves with waves of 2.5 to 3.5 meters on the south coast of the island of Madeira, with 3 to 4 meters on the north coast.

The investigation of this case associated with the international trafficking of cocaine is under the responsibility of the Central Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DCIAP), continuing the investigation efforts under the responsibility of the Directorate of the Southern Police Judiciary.

From Diário Notícias