For years, the idea of submarines ferrying drugs across the Atlantic seemed like something out of fiction. But that illusion shattered in 2019, when Spanish authorities intercepted a semi-submersible loaded with 3,000kg of cocaine just off the coast of Galicia. The vessel’s capture confirmed a disturbing truth: a new, covert drug trafficking route from South America to Europe was very real.
Now displayed at Spain’s police academy near Madrid, the 22-metre-long narco-sub is a symbol of the evolving strategies used by cartels. Operated by Agustin Alvarez—a former Spanish amateur boxing champion—and his two Ecuadorian cousins, the one-time-use craft was engineered to remain mostly submerged, making it extremely difficult to detect. The trio received 11-year prison sentences in 2022.
Even years later, remnants of the voyage linger—cigarette smoke and human waste still permeate the cramped interior. Their journey spanned 28 harrowing days from Brazil to Galicia, with the crew taking eight-hour shifts to pilot the vessel. The cocaine, valued at over €90 million ($146 million at the time), was stashed in the bow. The plan was simple yet chilling: unload the drugs onto fishing boats, then scuttle the sub using internal valves.
Spain has since become one of the primary entry points for cocaine in Europe. Galicia’s rugged coastline now serves as a frontline in the drug war. In 2023 alone, authorities seized a staggering 90 tonnes of cocaine—double the previous year’s total. While most of it arrived via shipping containers, customs officers are increasingly confronting the threat at sea.
Fernando Iglesias, Galicia’s top customs official, explained the challenge: “Our biggest obsession is knowing exactly what’s happening in our waters.” Yet, despite having helicopters and speedboats, his team is ill-equipped for prolonged ocean pursuits. “Our vessels aren’t made for long distances—they’re meant to patrol estuaries and coastal entrances.”
The problem isn’t isolated to Spain. Narco-subs are now a global tactic. In late 2024, Colombian authorities intercepted six semi-submersibles en route to Australia as part of Operation Orion, an international anti-smuggling effort spanning 62 countries.
Yet according to a seasoned Galician smuggler known only as Luis, the narco-sub presence in the region dates back much further. He claims they’ve been arriving monthly since 1998. If true, that would mean over €1 billion ($1.7 billion) in cocaine reaches Europe annually through this method alone. “Only around 5 percent stays in Spain,” Luis said. “The rest spreads wherever there’s demand—basically all over Europe.”
In his 50s, Luis has spent over a decade working with Mexican and Colombian cartels. Initially a speedboat operator, he now finances narco-subs himself, earning substantial profits. Still, he believes his freedom is only temporary. “Sooner or later, you get caught. It’s nearly impossible to operate without help from the police,” he said—though Spanish law enforcement declined to comment on his claims.
The consequences are far-reaching and often tragic. Manuel Couceiro, a local priest and head of the Galician Foundation against Drug Trafficking, has witnessed first-hand the growing influence of South American cartels in Spain. “All bad things spread eventually,” he warned. “We’ve already seen revenge killings and disappearances.”
Spain’s challenges are compounded by high youth unemployment and one of the world’s highest rates of cocaine consumption—factors that make the drug trade enticing to young people with limited prospects.
One of those drawn into this dangerous world was Ismael De Dios. Two years ago, he vanished while transporting four tonnes of cocaine from Colombia to Galicia. His father, Santiago, has spent every day since searching for answers. “There are several theories,” he said. “Maybe he demanded payment like the others and they threw him overboard. Or perhaps it was an accident during the Atlantic crossing.”
As the tide of narco-sub trafficking rises, so too does the human cost—on Spain’s shores and far beyond.
30 March 2025
