Spanish police seize underwater drones for drug smuggling

Three underwater drones that were built by Spanish police to smuggle drugs through the ocean from Morocco have been seized by Spanish police </p> Unmanned submersibles can apparently carry up to 200kg (441 lbs) of cargo.

Spanish police seize underwater drones for drug smuggling

Three underwater drones that were built by Spanish police to smuggle drugs through the ocean from Morocco have been seized by Spanish police

Unmanned submersibles can apparently carry up to 200kg (441 lbs) of cargo.

Eight people were arrested in Cadiz and Malaga as part of the 14-month-long investigation.

It is believed that the police have arrested a gang who were supplying drugs to smugglers in Europe.

Spanish police claim it's the first time that they have found an underwater vehicle that can be operated without a human operator.

Police released a statement saying that the devices could be used by drug traffickers to remotely transport large amounts of narcotics across the Strait of Gibraltar.

The Strait of Gibraltar, a narrow strip of water that separates Spain and Morocco is called the Strait of Gibraltar.

Two more submarines were being built, one of which was completed. The pair of submarines being built were believed to have been intended for delivery to a French gang to smuggle cocaine.

Officials also confiscated 14kg (31lbs), 8kg (18lbs), more than EUR157,000. (PS135,527) cash and six large drones.

The vehicles can be controlled remotely by drug traffickers using an internet-device such as a tablet, equipped with GPS navigation systems.

A father and his son were among those arrested. Police say the father was a helicopter pilot with the technical knowledge required to construct such advanced vehicles.

Officials said the gang was specialized in the construction of various air, land and sea vehicles specifically for drug transport. They also accused them of selling the devices to criminal organizations in France, Spain, Italy, France, and Spain.

EFE news agency reports that investigators found 13 types of vehicles, including trailers with hidden "double bottoms" capable to hold up to 800kg of cargo.

Investigators have discovered vehicles that can transport drugs under water for the second time.

The Colombian navy intercepted a semi-submersible vessel with four tonnes of cocaine earlier this year as it was heading to Central America.

In Spain, police seized a 9-meter-long (29.5ft) plywood and fibreglass submarine during a raid at a warehouse in Malaga.

Spain is a key entry point for drugs into Europe due to its proximity with Morocco, a major producer of cannabis, and its close ties to former colonies in South America where most of the world's cocaine was produced.

The Strait of Gibraltar is the preferred route for drug smugglers, especially because it spans 15km (9 miles) across.

100 suspect gang members were arrested last April by police for using speedboats to transport marijuana across the gap.