Cocaine Ship 'United S' Risks Sinking in Tenerife Port

The cargo ship 'United S', intercepted last January in Tenerife with ten tons of cocaine, is now at risk of sinking in the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife due to a leak in its hull. The Port Authority of Tenerife has confirmed that crews are working to stabilize the vessel, which has been docked at the South Dock since its arrival.

Despite the ship's poor condition – it's been called "floating scrap" and looks very run-down – its potential sinking won't affect the ongoing investigation. Agents from the National Police's Drug and Organized Crime Unit (UDYCO), including teams from both the Central Narcotics Brigade and the specialized group in Tenerife, are continuing their inquiries into the drug haul.

The vessel was stopped in international waters, west of the Canary Islands. It had left Turkey and was planning to pick up the large drug shipment near Brazil. Police commanders who led the operation said the 'United S' was on its final trip before being broken up for scrap. This is a common tactic for drug traffickers, who buy or rent old ships like this to bring drugs into Europe. This way, they lose less money if the vessel is seized.