Brazil makes largest cocaine seizure in national waters
The Brazilian Navy and the Federal Police seized 3.62 tons of cocaine off the coast of Pernambuco, in Northeast Brazil, on Tuesday (Sep. 19). It was the largest seizure of the drug ever made at sea in Brazil, the Navy reported.
The crackdown is part of Operation Ágata Nordeste, targeting cross-border and environmental crimes.
According to a statement released by the Navy, the 500-ton patrol ship approached vessel Palmares 1, where the narcotics were found, bound for Africa. There were five crew members on board, who were arrested in flagrante delicto for international drug trafficking and association with drug trafficking. Penalties could reach 35 years in prison, the police said.
The operation took place 18 nautical miles from Recife, some 33 kilometers. The vessel was towed by the patrol ship to the Port of Recife.
The Navy pointed out that the Brazilian maritime and fluvial operational environment has 5.7 million square kilometers of maritime area—called the Blue Amazon—and 64 thousand kilometers of waterway network. “This immense area is a gateway for national and international trade, significantly boosting the Brazilian economy. However, it is also subject to various threats, such as illegal fishing, smuggling and drug trafficking.”
The waters are protected by the Blue Amazon Management System, created by the Navy, which combines various federal agencies, such as the Federal Police, environmental authority Ibama, the Federal Revenue Service, and state-run oil giant Petrobras.
