News

More than 40 tonnes of hashish worth some 63 million euros were seized during the Frontex-coordinated joint maritime Operation EPN Indalo 2016 in less than two months since it was launched. 

Frontex runs Operation Indalo to support Spain in border surveillance and to combat cross-border crime off its coast in the Mediterranean Sea.

Many of the vessels carrying drugs that were intercepted as part of the Frontex operation were spotted by a surveillance aircraft contributed by Italy’s Guardia di Finanza. A Guardia Civil offshore patrol vessel funded by Frontex intercepted the suspected vessels. 

In the largest seizure so far, both the aircraft and patrol vessel helped the Spanish authorities to intercept a sailboat off the Spanish coast near the city of Murcia. Spanish officers who boarded the sailboat found 540 large bags below the deck with around 14.5 tonnes of hashish and arrested two men of Bulgarian and Dutch nationalities.

Since Operation EPN Indalo 2016 was launched by Frontex in late July, the Spanish authorities arrested 30 people suspected of drug smuggling.

So far this year, officers deployed in various Frontex operations helped to seize more than 46 tonnes of illegal drugs. Last year, the total reached over 101 tonnes.