Video: Drug smugglers filmed diving off container ship with cocaine bales

Police in Spain have released footage of the recent arrest of two smugglers who jumped from the stern of a boxship into the Mediterranean ocean along with bales of cocaine.

The police recovered 100kgs of cocaine during the sting, which took place aboard the 79,300 dwt containership Olivia I.

The container ship is registered in the Marshall Islands and operates a Mediterranean-Caribbean route under charter to CMA CGM. The ship — which was already under surveillance after a tipoff — had left Cartagena, Columbia and was en route to Algeciras in Spain when the incident occurred.

Spain’s Guardia Civil reports that a patrol boat had trailed the vessel until observers noted an unexpected dropoff. The two smugglers had been hiding on the vessel in a container.

As the police patrol boat neared, the two men — dressed in neoprene diving suits — jumped off the side of the ship and threw the cocaine bales into the water. They can be seen in the video swimming around at the base of the vessel.

It’s believed the duo had arranged a pick-up with accomplices, who were scheduled to collect the men and the three cocaine bundles in a small boat. However, Guardia Civil officials were waiting to apprehend them.

Olivia I was granted permission to continue its journey, and has since moved onto Malta, Genoa and Italy according to its planned route.

Earlier this year, MIN reported that New Zealand’s navy had intercepted a record-breaking haul of ‘batman’ cocaine floating in international waters in the Pacific Ocean.

The country says the NZ$500m (US$315m) haul was likely bound for Australia and would have ‘supplied the country for a year’.