Spanish police seized 10 tons of cocaine from the 'United S', arresting 13 crew members and revealing international smuggling networks.
Spanish police seized the 'United S' vessel, filled with 10 tons of cocaine, in the Atlantic. Thirteen crew members were detained along with the drugs hidden among salt. The ship, which had legal issues in Turkish ports a year ago, has once again highlighted the international smuggling network.
The Spanish National Police, in an operation named 'Marea Blanca' (White Tide), conducted in the Atlantic Ocean, seized approximately 10 tons of cocaine aboard the commercial vessel 'United S,' which flies the flag of Cameroon. This marks the largest cocaine seizure at sea recorded by Spanish authorities.
The operation concluded with the ship, which was en route from Brazil to Europe, being stopped off the Canary Islands, leading to the detention of 13 crew members. This incident once again sheds light on the increasing scale of international drug trafficking, while the ship’s connection to Turkey also drew attention.
Details of the operation
Spanish Special Operations Group (GEO) teams boarded the ship on January 12 and uncovered 294 bales of cocaine hidden beneath the salt cargo. The total weight was measured at exactly 9,994 kilograms, which has a street value exceeding 100 million Euros.
The ship had departed from Brazil and was heading towards the southern Spanish port of Huelva. During the operation, a weapon was also seized from the crew. It was reported that the crew members were citizens of India and Serbia, and after the ship was captured, it was towed to the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands for a detailed search due to running out of fuel.
Spanish authorities stated that this operation was conducted in coordination with the United States and other international intelligence agencies, thereby breaking a link in a large smuggling network extending from South America to Europe.
Officials emphasized that the cocaine was cleverly concealed among piles of salt and was uncovered after hours of work with pickaxes and shovels. This method is considered a typical example of drug traffickers' strategy to reach the European market using maritime routes. A video of the operation was shared with the public by the Spanish police and received widespread coverage in international media.
The ship's history and connection to Turkey
The 'United S' vessel (IMO: 7359149), built in 1975, is known as an old cargo ship. Allegedly, the ship docked at Turkish ports about a year ago but faced legal issues due to not meeting seaworthiness standards. This situation may have led the ship to navigate more risky routes in international waters.
Although Turkish authorities have not yet made an official statement, this connection raises questions about how drug trafficking routes in the Mediterranean and Atlantic have branched out through Turkey. The fact that the ship flies the Cameroonian flag and departed from Brazil indicates that traffickers are attempting to cover their tracks through flag and route changes.
A new statement from Ahmed Almassi of Kamer Shipping & Trading reads as follows:
'As Kamer Shipping & Trading Co., we have been operating since our establishment to provide our stakeholders in the maritime sector with the highest level of service globally, as quickly and as qualitatively as possible. We take pride and joy in contributing to the development of Turkish shipping through our international commercial activities, in line with our vision to benefit the sector.
However, we have recently been saddened to observe that some news reports in the media have incorrectly identified our company as the Turkish owner of the 'United S' vessel, which was found to be carrying approximately 10 tons of cocaine by Spanish law enforcement on Sunday, January 11, 2026, with IMO number 7359149, and that incorrect information has been disseminated to the Turkish public.
The claims in these reports are based on erroneous information that the owner of the vessel named 'United S' is our company, as stated in 'open source ship registries.' However, these records do not reflect the current situation in any way.
Indeed, the vessel named 'United S' was completely removed from our company's ownership and sold to a foreign company named CAPO MARITIME CO. on October 9, 2025, and was delivered on the same date. During the delivery process, no crew members employed by our company had their employment contracts transferred to the purchasing company. Thus, the ownership and actual control of the vessel have completely passed to the new company, and all ties between the vessel and our company have ended.
The updating of open source ship registries can sometimes be delayed due to the buyer's delay in flag and certification changes. However, this does not justify associating our company’s name with such a serious criminal allegation and tarnishing our reputation. Therefore, we inform the public that we reserve all our legal rights against those responsible.
In conclusion, we present this statement regarding the matter for the public's consideration and kindly request that no credence be given to unfounded news reports about our company.'
Source: www.denizhaber.com
