Drug ring's "monkey" technique used young swimmers to stash cocaine on ships at sea, Spanish police say
CBS News • • general
Key Points:
- Spanish police dismantled a smuggling network that used swimmers, known as "monkeys," to load Colombian cocaine onto Europe-bound container ships and hijack vessels near the Gibraltar Strait.
- The network employed military tactics to subdue ship crews, transfer cocaine from merchant vessels to smaller boats, and store the drugs in southern Spain for distribution across Europe.
- Authorities arrested 30 suspects and seized 2.4 tons of cocaine, military-grade weapons, luxury vehicles, cash, and equipment used for ship raids.
- This bust follows Spain's record cocaine seizure of nearly 10 tons at sea earlier this week and highlights the country's strategic role as a drug entry point into Europe due to its ties with Latin America and proximity to Morocco.
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