The waters of the Ibiza Channel have once again become the scene of drug trafficking. Customs Surveillance agents of the Tax Agency have seized 34 kilos of cocaine at sea, a stash that, according to estimates, could have reached a value of more than two million euros on the black market.
The discovery was made on January 20 during a routine patrol in the area. The crew of the patrol boat detected two packages floating adrift, tied with a rope.
When they recovered them, they found that they were wrapped in black plastic and duct tape. Inside were 30 compact packages which, upon analysis, were confirmed to contain cocaine.
A possible case of ‘drop off’, a recurring technique in the drug trade
The investigators’ first hypothesis is that the drug was thrown into the sea as part of a method known as drop off.
This technique involves corrupt merchant ship crews dropping the packages at strategic points along their routes, where they are then picked up by smaller vessels responsible for bringing the drugs onto the mainland.
Authorities have confirmed that the investigation is still open and that no arrests have been made at this time.
However, this find is not an isolated case. In August 2018, a similar operation led to the interception of 334 kilos of cocaine in waters close to Ibiza. On that occasion, five crew members were arrested after recovering bales that had been thrown into the sea by a merchant ship.
