Europe Faces Cocaine Surge as Drug Submarines Evade Atlantic Detection

Europe is experiencing an unprecedented surge in cocaine trafficking, with sophisticated smuggling operations using innovative methods to flood the continent with narcotics, according to law enforcement officials.

“Europe is literally being flooded with cocaine,” Artur Vaz, Portugal’s narcotics police chief, told Fox News. As director of the National Unit for Combating Drug Trafficking at Portugal’s Judiciary Police, Vaz has witnessed firsthand the escalating crisis.

Criminal organizations acquire cocaine in Latin America and transport it across the Atlantic, benefiting from substantial profit margins when the drugs reach European markets. The economic incentives driving this trade have prompted smugglers to develop increasingly sophisticated transportation methods.

Drug cartels employ various vessels to transport their illegal cargo, including cargo ships and high-speed boats. However, authorities are particularly concerned about the growing use of semi-submersible vessels, commonly known as “narco-subs.” These low-budget crafts are designed to evade detection, with only the top portion visible above water. Researchers note that these vessels are typically painted in steely blues and grays to blend with Atlantic waves and avoid surveillance.

Portuguese authorities celebrated a significant victory this fall when they intercepted a narco-sub in the mid-Atlantic carrying 1.7 metric tons of cocaine. Despite this success, European officials acknowledge that many similar vessels slip through their defensive net.

“The interdiction rates for these subs is between 10%, roughly, and maybe as low as 5%,” explained Sam Woolston, a Honduras-based investigative journalist specializing in organized crime. “Even if one or two get nabbed by the authorities, it’s not enough to dissuade them.”

European law enforcement agencies typically opt to intercept suspected drug vessels rather than destroy them – a stark contrast to the more aggressive approach recently adopted by the United States. The Trump administration has intensified operations against alleged drug-trafficking boats, sometimes destroying vessels and resulting in crew fatalities. European authorities instead detain crew members for interrogation, hoping to gather intelligence on drug kingpins, gang operations, and distribution networks.

However, some European officials believe more forceful measures may be necessary. “We must be more muscular — that is, with greater means and a greater capacity for intervention,” said Vaz, though he emphasized that any enhanced response must remain “within the rule of law.”

While narco-subs are not new to drug trafficking operations, their use in transatlantic smuggling represents a significant evolution in cartel tactics. Previously, these vessels were primarily employed for shorter routes.

“It’s mind-boggling, the level of sophistication,” said Derek Maltz, a former acting chief of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. “But it’s all about the money, and it’s all about the risk, and right now I don’t think these networks perceive Europe as a huge risk for them.”

The dangerous transatlantic journey aboard these vessels is typically undertaken by “desperate people,” according to journalist Woolston. Crews face life-threatening conditions during the crossing.

“You’ll be locked up in a very small compartment for days, usually inhaling things like diesel fumes. There have been cases of narco submarines found with a crew of dead bodies,” Woolston explained. “The kingpins would not get on these boats.”

The increasing sophistication of these smuggling operations poses significant challenges for European law enforcement agencies. As criminal organizations continue to adapt their tactics, authorities across the continent are reassessing their strategies to combat the flow of drugs. The transatlantic cocaine trade remains highly profitable for cartels, with European consumers representing a lucrative market that traffickers seem determined to supply by any means necessary.