Spain seizes record cocaine haul from freighter off Canary Islands
Spanish authorities have seized what they say is a record haul of cocaine from a freighter intercepted in international waters off the Canary Islands.
The Civil Guard said the shipment was found on board the vessel after it was stopped at sea.
The haul is estimated at between 30,000kg and 45,000kg of cocaine.
Around 20 people were arrested, according to the Civil Guard union, which described the operation as a major blow to drug trafficking.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said in Madrid that the seizure was one of the biggest, not only in Spain but internationally.
The Civil Guard also said the drugs were found in the ship's hold.
The vessel had travelled from Sierra Leone and was heading towards Libya.
Officials have not given further details of the investigation, citing legal reasons.
The seizure matters because it appears to be among the largest cocaine interceptions ever reported in Spain, and possibly beyond.
