November 4, 2025
Sub-plot thickens
Narco-sub carrying 1.7 tonnes of cocaine seized in Atlantic
Portugal nabs drug sub; commenters ask who pays and who survives
TLDR: Portugal intercepted a narco-sub carrying 1.7 tonnes of cocaine and arrested four crew; the fragile craft sank after the bust. Commenters argued over who deserves credit, why Portugal pays to patrol so far out, and whether life aboard these subs is survivable, spotlighting high-seas drug war dilemmas.
Portugal just nabbed a semi-submarine stuffed with 1.7 tonnes of cocaine in the mid-Atlantic, arresting four South American crew members and watching the flimsy vessel sink after the bust. With tips from the Lisbon-based Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC) and backup from UK and US agencies, the operation was a win—and the comments instantly turned it into a meme: "seized, not torpedoed" became the rallying cry as users insisted credit goes to Portugal, not the U.S.
Then came the money talk. One camp asked why Portugal spends big patrolling waters 1,000 nautical miles from home if the drugs mostly flow elsewhere in Europe. Is this about EU solidarity, reputation, or just stopping a floating disaster before it hits port? Another thread fixated on survival: narco-subs are hot, toxic, and tossed by waves for weeks; commenters wondered if crews fare like WWII U-boat sailors or just gamble for a payday. Cue gallows humor, budget-Bond jokes, and "Netflix pitch" one-liners.
The legal drama surfacing stateside—a recent U.S. strike that killed three—added fuel, with debates over what’s lawful at sea. Meanwhile, the multinational crew underscored a network that isn’t tied to one country, and the thread sailed on waves of snark today.
Key Points
- •Portuguese police and navy seized a semi-submersible carrying over 1.7 tonnes of cocaine in the mid-Atlantic.
- •Four South American crew (two Ecuadorians, a Venezuelan, and a Colombian) were arrested and remanded in pre-trial custody in the Azores.
- •MAOC provided intelligence; a Portuguese ship located the craft ~1,000 nautical miles off Lisbon with support from the UK NCA and US DEA.
- •The vessel could not be towed due to weather and fragile construction and later sank after being seized.
- •Officials say such narco-sub incidents are recurring; a similar seizure in March intercepted 6.5 tonnes of cocaine ~1,200 nautical miles from Lisbon.