5.2 tonnes of cocaine siezed from a yacht.

[Concerto]

Yes, a staggering 5.2 tonnes of cocain were siezed from a yacht by Portuguese authorities about 550 kilometres of the Portuguese coast. The value is $232 million, shipments of this size are usually made by commercial ships, not a yacht. It must be a decent size yacht and will no doubt having been seized will eventually be sold - so watch out for a cheap yacht in Portugal.

Portugal seizes cocaine worth $232 mln on board yacht in Atlantic Ocean | Al Arabiya English

 

[Poignard]

Yes, a staggering 5.2 tonnes of cocain were siezed from a yacht by Portuguese authorities about 550 kilometres of the Portuguese coast. The value is $232 million, shipments of this size are usually made by commercial ships, not a yacht. It must be a decent size yacht and will no doubt having been seized will eventually be sold - so watch out for a cheap yacht in Portugal.

Portugal seizes cocaine worth $232 mln on board yacht in Atlantic Ocean | Al Arabiya English

"Bargain price. Interior needs some repairs."

 

[Clancy Moped]

That's not to be sniffed at....

 

[Wandering Star]

If this is a regular drug route, might it explain why the Orcas in the region have been acting strangely of late?

 

[Minerva]

If this is a regular drug route, might it explain why the Orcas in the region have been acting strangely of late?

 

[Black Sheep]

Too much roach in the mainsail

 

[Graham376]

Whilst it's good to see the arrest, I do wonder what rights there are to board a vessel in international waters.

 

[mjcoon]

Whilst it's good to see the arrest, I do wonder what rights there are to board a vessel in international waters.

I think you should add a trail of enquiries to your googling history...

 

[DJE]

Whilst it's good to see the arrest, I do wonder what rights there are to board a vessel in international waters.

With the permission of the flag state of the vessel being boarded. Usually established by treaty IIRC.

 

[newtothis]

Either they've got the street value wrong or I'm paying too much they are talking about distributor costs.

 

[Sandy]

Brilliant! Oddly, I had a chat with the local police sergeant at Stonehaven in the summer. I wonder if they were following up enquiries about the fish swimming at 40 knots?

 

[fredrussell]

Well, there goes my weekend then!

 

[Blueboatman]

5.2t !
What was the boat called -Nosebag??

You would think there would be shortages right across Europe at this level of supply hiatus ?

 

[LadyInBed]

550 kilometres of the Portuguese coast

That's a hell of a way offshore for the Portuguese to intervene.

 

[Tomahawk]

5.2t !
What was the boat called -Nosebag??

You would think there would be shortages right across Europe at this level of supply hiatus ?

All part of the supply chain. The seller in S America has their money. They shop the boat to the authorities and hey presto, prices rise in the market and another mug thinks they can make it.

 

[doris]

Maybe a quick read of Fredrick Forsyth's The Cobra would be good.

 

[newtothis]

All part of the supply chain. The seller in S America has their money. They shop the boat to the authorities and hey presto, prices rise in the market and another mug thinks they can make it.

I'm no expert on this supply chain, but I'm pretty sure the vendors are not getting the $232m value of the deal from some likely-lad yottie willing to chance his arm. I suspect that would have come from the wholesaler at the destination. His feelings about the loss of cargo may be a little more, shall we say, retaliatory.

 

[Gwylan]

How many little plastic bags does that lot need?

 

[Neeves]

To have seized the yacht some distance offshore implies they knew from the outset what the yacht was carrying and had presumably been following its progress. To have intervened so far offshore suggests they were unsure what the intention was to transfer the cargo and decided to make their move in case they lost contact with the cargo (the yacht would be difficult to hide - the cargo could be transferred or made into a float (though the latter would need additional equipment, flats and buoys).

J

 

[mm42]

Whilst it's good to see the arrest, I do wonder what rights there are to board a vessel in international waters.

Our Border Force can board any vessel in UK waters, and a UK flagged vessel in international waters. For foreign flagged vessels in international waters they would use powers from the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990 (CRIJICA 1990), which, as DJE quite rightly states requires permission from the flag state’s government.