Record seizure of cocaine found on incoming Polish bulker anchored off Brazil

Brazilian Federal Police report the largest cocaine seizure in the history of the state of Maranhao in northern Brazil, made from a bulk ship anchored off the coast. According to reports, the ship’s crew discovered the suspicious packages and reported them to local police, who are now investigating how the cocaine got on board the ship.

The Jawor (79,649 dwt) is a bulker built in 2010 and operated by Polsteam (Polish Steamship Company). It is registered in the Bahamas. The ship arrived at the port of Itaqui in ballast condition on October 2 and was scheduled to dock five days later, on October 7. It would pick up a shipment of soybeans to be transported to Cartagena, Spain.

According to media reports and a spokesperson for Polsteam, the ship’s crew discovered the packages in the forward storage while the ship was at anchor. The spokesperson told Polish media that it was suspected that unknown perpetrators had boarded the ship from small boats at night while the bulker was at anchor. They claim the crew was asleep when the packages were placed on board.

Bundles of cocaine were found on board the ship while it waited at its berth (Federal Police)

The captain informed the port agent of the discovery and the federal police stormed the ship during the night of Friday 4 to Saturday 5 October. There are reports that teams took a helicopter to the ship and launched a search. The bundles of cocaine weighing a total of 500 kg were transferred to a police launch facility and taken for examination.

Police reported that the entire crew would be questioned as part of their investigation. They suspect that the drugs were loaded with the help of crew members. The crew consists of twenty people from Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Romania.

Reports highlight that drug cartels are increasingly trying to hide illegal drugs on board ships bound for Europe, paying couriers to collect the material when the ship reaches Europe.

A year ago, the Panama-flagged bulker Phoenician M arrived in the Turkish port of Eregli, transporting coal from South America. The ship’s captain reportedly complained about lax security and requested more cameras. He later told Turkish authorities that there was weak security during the loading of the ship in Colombia. Turkish authorities who searched the ship found 137 kg of cocaine mixed among the coals.

The captain, first officer and eight crew members were tried in Turkey on smuggling charges. The crew members were acquitted, but the captain and the officer received 30 years in prison prison sentenceswhich is now under appeal, with Turkish authorities focusing on command responsibilities.

Cocaine has been found hidden on board ships, strapped to the outside or smuggled in containers. The European Union this year launched a coordinated program to disrupt smuggling operations and reduce the flow of illicit drugs through its main seaports.