Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / EUROPE
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
Friday, 1 September 2006, 12:24 GMT 13:24 UK

Cocaine haul on UK-flagged yacht

Pack of cocaine. File photo French and Spanish investigators have seized more than three tons of pure cocaine on a UK-flagged yacht off the Canary Islands, French police say.

They say the haul is worth an estimated 200m euros (£135m).

Eleven people, including five French nationals, were arrested during the joint operation early this week.

It is believed to be one of the biggest drug seizures ever made with the involvement of French investigators.

"A huge drugs ring between Latin America and Europe has been smashed," Col Hubert Bonneau, who led the raid, told the AFP news agency.

Col Bonneau said the luxury yacht, the Spes Nostra, had left Spain in early summer and was returning to Europe after stops in Venezuela and in the Caribbean.

The cocaine was hidden in small packets in the 27m-long (89ft) vessel, which was registered in Guernsey.

Spain is the main port of entry for drugs from Latin America.



E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
Spanish police find 'drugs' sub (14 Aug 06 |  Europe )
Alarm at Europe cocaine use rise (26 Jun 06 |  Europe )
Police break suspected drugs ring (07 Jun 06 |  London )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
OCRTIS - French anti-drug agency (in French)
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©