Spanish navy seizes 127kg of cocaine on board its country's 'floating embassy' tall ship – which 'had already trafficked drugs from Colombia to New York'

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Published on Sunday, 31 August 2014 22:41
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2718213/Navy-seizes-127kg-cocaine-aboard-Spanish-Armada-training-ship-allegedly-transported-drugs-Colombia-New-York.html

Spanish navy seizes 127kg of cocaine on board its  country's 'floating embassy' tall ship – which 'had already trafficked drugs  from Colombia to New York'

  • Juan Sebastian Elcano training ship  'ambused by drug gang in Colombia'
  • Crew on six-month tour 'were paid to  ship cocaine to New York then Spain'
  • New York police seized 20kg of drug  'from the ship' from gang in May
  • Sparked probe, three sailors were  arrested when it docked in Spain in July
  • Three weeks later, Civil Guard has  found 127kg hidden in ship's storeroom
  • Since May, training ship has hosted  Spanish ministers and dignitaries

ByMia De Graaf

Published:  18:11 GMT, 6 August 2014 | Updated:  19:58 GMT, 6 August 2014

Spanish naval officers are facing jail for allegedly shipping more than 127kg cocaine from Colombia to New York on a training ship.

Three sailors were arrested in July following a US operation but the stash - hidden among candles in a storeroom - was not uncovered until today.

Investigations started in May this year after New York police seized 20kg of cocaine from two  Colombians in the city.

Under  interrogation, they revealed it had been shipped by the Juan Sebastian Elcano,  which serves as a floating embassy for Spain.

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Drug stash: Officials in Cadiz, Spain, have uncovered 127kg of cocaine aboard the Juan Sebastian Elcano, a Spanish Armada training ship, after dealers in New York admitted their drugs were transported by the ship
 
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Drug stash: Officials in Cadiz, Spain, have uncovered  127kg of cocaine aboard the Juan Sebastian Elcano, a Spanish Armada training  ship, after dealers in New York admitted their drugs were transported by the  ship

The crew was paid  to transport the drug after being ambushed by the a gang of drug traffickers  when they docked in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, during a six-month tour,  reports claim.

 

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Each sailor was  allegedly issued with a portion of the drug to hide before setting off for the  United States.

A major  international operation was launched between the Spanish Civil Guard and US  Homeland Security Investigations when 20kg of the stash was seized in New York  in mid-May.

When it docked in  Bueu, Pontevedra, north west Spain, on July 12, militia stormed the ship,  arresting three sailors - one Ecuadorian and two Spaniards.

Operation: The Civil Guard found the stash among candles in a store room three weeks after the ship docked
 
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Operation: The Civil Guard found the stash among candles  in a store room three weeks after the ship docked

'Ambushed': The crew aboard the ship (pictured being searched) was allegedly ambushed by traffickers when they docked in Cartagena de Indias in Colombia. When they returned to Spain, three sailors were arrested
 
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'Ambushed': The crew aboard the ship (pictured being  searched) was allegedly ambushed by traffickers when they docked in Cartagena de  Indias in Colombia. When they returned to Spain, three sailors were  arrested

They were detained  in Alcalá-Meco military prison in Madrid where they now face charges of drug  trafficking, which carries up to six years in jail.

But this morning,  after a further three weeks of investigations in Cadiz, Spain, officials  uncovered a further 127g in a storeroom of candles aboard the training  ship.

Since the  operation started in May, the 1927 ship has hosted a number of high-ranking  dignitaries, Spanish defence ministers, and 69 trainees from the Spanish  navy.

The investigation is ongoing.