Laurence Dollimore
THIS is the moment a narco submarine suspected of carrying a huge shipment of cocaine was rumbled in the Atlantic ocean.
The blue makeshift vessel was being driven by four Colombian men and was heading in the direction of Spain’s southern coast.
However when the crew realised they had been discovered by the Spanish authorities, they sank the semi-submersible some 280 miles west of Cadiz.
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A Fulmar Customs Surveillance ship was heading towards the sub as part of a joint operation between the Guardia Civil, Policia Nacional and Spain’s Tax Agency.
The sub’s crew were pulled from the water and arrested.
Police believe the vessel was transporting a large shipment of cocaine, given its near-identical appearance to previously seized narco submarines.
The operation began on June 24 when the Spanish authorities received a tip off from the US’s Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
They had detected a possible drop off between an unknown vessel and a potential semi-submersible.
The following morning, the 20-metre submarine was detected once again about 280 miles west of Cadiz.
When the sub’s crew realised they were being chased by the customs boat, they came to the surface and opened all the vessel’s valves, letting it sink to the bottom of the sea.
