2.78 Tons Of Cocaine Found On Oil Tanker

Police took into custody Tuesday 14 crew members of an oil tanker seized in the Atlantic with 2.78 tons of cocaine on board. Spanish authorities called it their biggest drug seizure ever.

The Panamanian-registered Archagelos arrived at this port in the Spanish Canary Islands two weeks after police stormed it 560 miles north of Ascension Island.

Police began investigating the tanker two years ago after receiving a tip smugglers planned to bring the cocaine from Colombia to Spain. They believed they ship was headed for the northwestern Spanish port of Galicia, a major entry point for drugs being smuggled into Europe.

“It can be considered the biggest seizure ever made by the Spanish administration,” said Anastasio Travieso, the top police official in the Canary Islands.

The 14 taken ashore Tuesday were to be flown to Madrid for questioning.