European law enforcement agencies have disrupted a major transatlantic drug trafficking route known as the “Cocaine Highway” during a large-scale maritime anti-drug operation in the Atlantic Ocean. Authorities seized around 11 tonnes of cocaine and 8.5 tonnes of hashish while arresting 54 individuals linked to the operation.

The operation was led by Spain’s Guardia Civil and coordinated by Europol, with support from authorities in Portugal, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Reports said eight vessels suspected of involvement in offshore drug transfers were intercepted between the Canary Islands and the Azores.

According to investigators, drug syndicates are increasingly using offshore transfer methods to avoid major European ports and law enforcement detection. Authorities said larger “mother ships” carrying illegal cargo from Latin America transfer the narcotics at sea to smaller and faster boats before delivery to remote coastal areas in Spain and Portugal.

Europol described the Atlantic corridor between the Canary Islands and the Azores as a major trafficking route commonly referred to by investigators as the “Cocaine Highway.” Intelligence gathered during the operation is now being analyzed for possible additional arrests and wider international connections.