Drug gangs turn to drones and submarines to bypass port controls, says Europol
International drug gangs are increasingly using high-tech methods such as drones, unmanned vessels and even submarines to smuggle cocaine into Europe, according to a new report by European police organisation Europol published on Tuesday. Criminal networks are trying to bypass traditional controls in major ports by turning to alternative routes and technologies.
Europol says cocaine trafficking to Europe has reached unprecedented levels, driven by record production in South America and rising demand within the EU. Whereas large shipments previously arrived mainly through ports such as Antwerp and Rotterdam, smugglers are now diversifying both their routes and their methods.
According to the report, drugs are increasingly transferred on the open sea to smaller vessels heading for West Africa. From there, shipments are moved by speedboats to the Canary Islands or southern Spain, particularly Andalusia. Criminal groups are also deploying specially designed submarines. In March 2025, authorities intercepted a high-speed submarine near the Azores carrying 6.5 tonnes of cocaine.
Europol warns that it may only be a matter of time before fully autonomous vessels packed with cocaine cross the Atlantic without any crew on board. Drones and helium balloons are already being used to smuggle goods across borders. Law enforcement agencies are concerned that technological innovation is also making criminal communications more frequent and increasingly encrypted.
Advanced camouflage
The report also highlights the use of advanced camouflage techniques. Cocaine is chemically "washed" into textiles, plastics or food products, or concealed inside industrial machinery or beneath ship hulls. "These methods make detection by scanners, sniffer dogs and forensic tests extremely difficult," Europol said.
Finally, Europol notes that criminal networks may start targeting new markets. The wholesale price of cocaine in destination countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands is falling sharply due to oversupply, prompting traffickers to look elsewhere.
A narco-submarine seized by police during an anti-drugs operation in Malaga, Spain. Photo Handout © EUROPOL / Spanish National Police / AFP
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