In a significant maritime operation, Portuguese authorities have intercepted a semi-submersible vessel transporting over 1.7 tonnes of cocaine in the mid-Atlantic, approximately 1,000 nautical miles off the coast of Lisbon. The vessel, en route to the Iberian Peninsula, was seized in a coordinated effort involving the Portuguese police, navy, and international agencies, including the UK’s National Crime Agency and the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Four crew members, identified as two Ecuadorians, a Venezuelan, and a Colombian, were arrested and remanded in pre-trial custody following their court appearance in the Azores. Vítor Ananias, head of Portugal’s drug trafficking police unit, highlighted the multinational nature of the operation, suggesting the involvement of a transnational criminal organization. The narco-sub, deemed too fragile to tow back to shore due to adverse weather conditions, eventually sank in the open sea. This incident follows a similar seizure in March, where a vessel carrying 6.5 tonnes of cocaine was intercepted 1,200 nautical miles from Lisbon. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has intensified its crackdown on drug smuggling, with recent strikes on alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean drawing criticism from Latin American leaders over their legality and human rights implications.