Second proven case of a large Narco-Submarine crossing from the Americas to Africa/Europe: Raising awareness for a re- emerging smuggling route (West-Africa) - Update March 2023
Creators: name: Weerth, Carsten
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: customs technology, law enforcement, smuggling, illicit drugs, smuggling technology, anti-submarine technology, submarine detection, capacity building, irregular naval warfare, war on drugs

description: <strong>Second proven case of a large Narco-Submarine crossing from the Americas to Africa/Europe: Raising awareness for a re- emerging smuggling route (West-Africa) - Update March 2023</strong> <strong>By Carsten Weerth</strong> • West-Africa and the South of Europe have long been known to be an entry point for Cocaine smuggled from the Americas over the Atlantic.<br> • In November 2019 a Narco-Submarine (LPV) was cought off Spain (Galicia) - 3,800 kg Cocaine was seized<br> • In March 2023 a second 22 meter long Narco-Submarine (LPV) was found wrecked and deliberately sunk off Spain (Galicia)<br> • Both LPVs have either been towed or have run by itself<br> • The crew of the first Narco-submarine has tried to sink it; the second was sunk already but the bow was still visible above the waterline<br> • The cargo can be delivered directly or loaded to merchant vessels, fishing/speed boats or a Yacht.<br> • Weerth, CSJ 1/2020, 39-47, http://hdl.handle.net/10419/222322.<br> • Weerth, CSJ 2/2020, 33-49, http://hdl.handle.net/10419/228471.<br> This technical report is a follow up to the published papers in CSJ 1/2020 and CSJ 2/2020. [...] <strong>Conclusion</strong><br> • Many new developments in the trans-Atlantic smuggling pathways from the Americas<br> • Many Cocaine Seizures off Spain and in West Africa 2005-2020<br> • Coast Guards, Naval Forces and Customs Authorities (plus FRONTEX) must be alert and equipped…<br> • Experiences from the War on Drugs in the Americas must be used…<br> • Anti-submarine/LPV-technology comprises: Anti-submarine aircraft, Satellite technology, drones, Submarine hunter naval ships, helicopters, radar/sonar and counter-submarines…<br> • Picture sources: pics. 1-3, 6-11: © HI Sutton, pic. 4/5: UNODC, 2013. <strong>List of References and further Reading:</strong><br> • Ramierez/Bunker (eds.) (2015). Narco-Submarines: Specially Fabricated Vessels Used for Drug Smuggling Purposes / U.S. Army Foreign Military Studies Office. Claremont, 164 pages.<br> • Weerth, Cocaine Smuggling by Help of Narco-Submarines from South America to Europe and Africa: A Proven Case – A Last Wake-Up Call for Customs Services Around the World, Customs Scientific Journal (CSJ) 2020, No. 1, pp. 37-42, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.32836/2308-6971/2020.1.5 and http://hdl.handle.net/10419/222322<br> • Weerth, Cocaine smuggling by help of Nacro-Submarines from South America to Africa and Europe: A Call for a higher awareness of an existing Smuggling Pathway, Customs Scientific Journal (CSJ) 2020, No. 2, pp. 33-49, DOI: https://doi.org/10.32836/2308-6971/2020.2.5 and http://hdl.handle.net/10419/228471<br> • Weerth, Kokainschmuggel mit Drogen-U-Booten von Südamerika nach Europa, BDZ-Fachteil 2023, F9-F11<br> • Sutton, Narco submarines, torpedoes and semi-submersibles (2010), Covert Shores, Naval Warefare Blog, URL: http://covertshores.blogspot.com/2010/06/narco-submarines-torpedoes-and-semi.html<br> • Sutton, Narco Subs 101, URL: http://www.hisutton.com/Narco%-20Subs%20101.html<br> • Sutton, New Narco submarine Challenge in the Atlantic, Forbes, 7 August 2020, URL: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/-2020/08/17/atlantic-ocean-is-no-barrier-for-homemade-narco-submarines/#3df483704165<br> • Sutton, Transatlantic Narco-Submarine Galicia, Covert Shores, URL: http://www.hisutton.com/Transatlantic-Narco-submarine-Galicia.html<br> • Sutton, Unusually Large Narco Submarine May Be New Challenge For Coast Guard, Forbes, 10 August 2020, URL: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/2020/08/-10/unusually-large-narco-submarine-might-smuggle-8-tons-of-illegal-drugs/#59c8f6665afd<br> • Sutton, Why The Navy’s Latest Narco Submarine Seizure Is A Big Deal, URL: https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/ghost-gliders-spanish-narco-submarines • Sutton, Latest Transatlantic Narco-Submarine in Europe Has Same Builder As Last One, Covert Shores, URL: http://www.hisutton.com/Narco-Submarine-Spain-2023.html<br> • Sutton, Confirmed: Narco Submarine Discovered in Spain Is Directly Related To 2019 Incident, Covert Shores, URL: http://www.hisutton.com/Narco-Submarine-Spain-2023-Update.html<br> • Tagesschau.de, Vor spanischer Küste: Polizei hebt mutmaßliches Drogen-U-Boot, URL: https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/europa/-spanien-drogen-uboot-101.html<br> • UNODC, Transnational Organized Crime in West Africa, Report, 2013, URL: https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/-tocta/West_Africa_TOCTA_2013_EN.pdf Author and Contributor:<br> •<strong> Dr. Carsten Weerth BSc LLM MA</strong> (ORCID-ID 0000-0003-3702-8456) is legal expert in customs law who works with Germany’s Customs Service and is Lecturer of Law and Management with the FOM Hochschule für Oekonomie and Management. He has founded the Center for Customs Law and Customs Research. Contact: carsten.weerth@gmx.de<br> • <strong>HI Sutton</strong>, writes extensively on maritime defense topics, particularly underwater warfare. For current events he uses OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) in addition to the usual tools and research. He writes for several publications and his own Covert Shores website (www.hisutton.com). He is the author of Narco Submarines, Covert Shores Recognition Guide which is the first book of its type. He has also published World Submarines, Covert Shores Recognition Guide and Covert Shores: The Story of Naval Special Forces Missions and Minisubs.<br> • Keywords, JEL-Classification:<br> • Keywords: customs technology, law enforcement, smuggling, illicit drugs, smuggling technology, anti-submarine technology, submarine detection, capacity building, irregular naval warfare, war on drugs.<br> • JEL-Classification: E 26, F 14, K 33, K 34, Q 37.<br> • Date of Report: 26 March 2023