The Cocaine Is Below the Waterline and the Crew Has No Idea
Windward MIOC has documented 20 confirmed cases of narcotics concealed inside vessel sea chests since 2017, linking Latin American origin ports to destinations in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Oceania, and North America. Cumulative seizures across those cases exceed 2 tonnes. At least one case involved specialized stealth diving equipment. The sea chest is a recessed cavity in ...
A report by Windward MIOC has revealed 20 documented instances since 2017 where narcotics have been hidden inside the sea chests of vessels, with a total weight exceeding 2 tonnes. These sea chests are recessed cavities in the ship's hull, below the waterline, typically used for cooling and ballast. They are concealed by a grating and can only be accessed by a diver, making them an ideal hiding spot for traffickers.
The cargo itself never enters the ship's hold, nor does it pass through any scanning at terminals or be known to the crew. A recent example occurred on May 10, 2026, when Brazilian Federal Police and Navy divers recovered 341 kg of cocaine from the Green K-Max 1 bulk carrier at the Port of Santos, after receiving intelligence about the vessel's route and cargo. The crew was not implicated in the operation.
Written by urgent.news from Hellenic Shipping News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
