Three men who claimed to be pilgrims walking Spain's Camino de Santiago—and who happened to be soaking wet—have been arrested and accused of carrying out a very different lengthy journey. Spanish police allege the men piloted a semi-submersible vessel packed with roughly 4 tons of cocaine from South America to the Galicia region. The suspects, identified as a Colombian and two Ecuadorians, had reportedly fled as police closed in, flagging a taxi and trying to pass themselves off as pilgrims. In addition to their sodden clothes, police allegedly found a wetsuit among one of the men's possessions.
The Guardian reports their arrests are part of a broader operation that began in August and involved the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Investigators had been monitoring a drug-smuggling ring in the Galician town of Outes that was allegedly masquerading as a nautical equipment business. On Sept. 13, police closed into the crew as it allegedly moved just-arrived cocaine into trailers on land. A high-speed pursuit ended with one trailer overturning, leading to the recovery of a ton of cocaine. The remainder was found the next day, hidden on a beach.
In total, 14 people have been detained, and authorities have confiscated nearly $65,000 in cash, two boats, five vehicles, and a trailer. The narco-sub used to transport the drugs is believed to have been sunk off the Galician coast; whether it was done accidentally or intentionally is unclear.
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