"Drug ring's "monkey" technique used young swimmers to stash cocaine on ships at sea, Spanish police say

Saturday, January 17, 2026- Spanish authorities have dismantled a sophisticated international cocaine smuggling network that employed an unusual method to load drugs onto container ships bound for Europe. Police described how the criminal organization used what they called the “monkey” technique,” enlisting young people from low-income families who were strong swimmers to swim out to vessels on the high seas and place packages of cocaine aboard while the ships were underway. 

The operation was part of a broader smuggling scheme linked to multiple gangs, including ties to the Balkan cartel, that coordinated the trafficking of large quantities of Colombian cocaine into Spain.

Once the drugs were aboard, accomplices traveled to Spanish waters to intercept the vessels before they reached ports, particularly around the Strait of Gibraltar. In some cases, stowaways and armed individuals reportedly boarded or attempted to hijack the container ships to retrieve the concealed narcotics before authorities could intervene. 

Officials said one ship bound for Cádiz reported stowaways on deck, leading to the seizure of a container holding a significant cocaine load, and another vessel in Portuguese waters saw armed stowaways successfully unload some contraband.

The months-long investigation culminated in 30 arrests and the seizure of approximately 2.4 to 2.5 tonnes of cocaine, along with weapons, luxury vehicles, boarding ladders, nautical gear, and large quantities of cash, jewelry, and watches. 

Police also uncovered storage sites used to hold the drugs before they were transported by road to other European destinations. The takedown represents a major blow to the smuggling infrastructure that exploited both creative maritime methods and vulnerable young swimmers to move narcotics across international waters.