Spain rescues three men from boat loaded with drugs

The Royal Gibraltar police have successfully finished the operation, which resulted in the seizure of three tonnes cannabis resin from a rigid-hull inflatable boat drifting about two miles from Gibraltar.

The maritime rescue reported it rescued three passengers from the boat loaded with three tonnes cannabis resin which had run into trouble in choppy waters. A police spokesperson added that the rigid-hull inflatable boat was heading for Strait of Gibraltar with the illegal substances, three passengers were arrested.

Three men in the boat were taken to the southern port of Algeciras where they received medical aid before being turned over to police. being eventually capsized, the passengers were trying to spill its cargo of drugs into the sea, the Royal Gibraltar police said.

The maritime rescuers have picked up 84 bales of marijuana resin from the shores of the UK territory. According to the preliminary estimations, the cargo cost had a street value of around EUR 16 million. The illegal substance origin is Morocco, a traditional key source of cannabis, said Gibraltar police. Both Spain’s proximity to Morocco and ties with its ex-colony in Latin America have made Strait of Gibraltar an important gateway for international drug dealers.