Spanish authorities have seized nearly 10 metric tons of cocaine from a cargo ship in the Atlantic Ocean that Turkish media have linked to a Turkey-based company, a connection disputed by a separate Turkish firm with a similar name.
Spanish police said the Cameroonian-flagged vessel was intercepted on January 6 during an operation in international waters as it was heading toward Europe. Officers found 9,994 kilograms (22,033 pounds) of cocaine concealed in 294 packages hidden among a shipment of salt, authorities said.
All 13 crew members aboard the ship were arrested, and police seized a firearm believed to have been used to guard the drugs.
The operation, code-named “Marea Blanca,” or “White Tide,” involved cooperation with law enforcement agencies from the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, France and Portugal.
The BirGün daily reported on Wednesday that the ship, identified as the United S, is owned by Kamer Shipping & Trading Co., a company based in Turkey. The vessel was sailing under the Cameroonian flag, a practice known as using a “flag of convenience,” in which ships are registered in countries other than those of their owners.
However, Kamer Marine Denizcilik, whose name has appeared in some reports due to similarities with the shipowner’s company name, issued a public statement on Wednesday denying any links to the vessel.
In the statement company representative M. Erkam Güner said Kamer Marine Denizcilik has no ownership, partnership or operational connection with the United S or with Kamer Shipping & Trading Co., the company reported to be the owner of the ship.
“The confusion has arisen solely from the similarity in company names,” Güner said, adding that Kamer Marine Denizcilik’s activities and reputation cannot be associated with the vessel or the company registered as its owner.
The company said it released the statement to correct what it described as misinformation circulating in public discussions.
Spanish media reports said the United S had been under surveillance after departing from Turkey before allegedly receiving the cocaine shipment off the coast of Brazil. Spanish authorities have not publicly alleged any wrongdoing by the Turkey-based company, and no statements have been issued by Turkish officials or the firm as the investigation continues.
Spanish police described the seizure as the country’s largest cocaine bust at sea. Spain is a major entry point for drugs into Europe due to its proximity to North Africa and its close historical and commercial ties with Latin America. The country also lies near Morocco, one of the world’s largest cannabis producers.
This was the largest maritime cocaine bust in Spain since 1999, when authorities intercepted the Tammsaare, carrying 7.5 tons of cocaine, dismantling a major Spanish-Colombian drug trafficking network. The drugs were later destroyed at a military facility in the Canary Islands.
Spanish authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
The ship’s alleged ties to Turkey have sparked criticism from the opposition. Murat Bakan, a lawmaker from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), posed a series of questions to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya after reports linked the ship’s ownership to a Turkey-based company.
Ali Yerlikaya'ya Soruyoruz: 10 Ton Kokain’in soruşturma dosyası Nerede?
İspanya polisi, Brezilya'dan gelen bir gemide yaklaşık 10 ton (9.994 kg) kokain yakaladı ve 13 kişiyi gözaltına aldı.
Operasyonun uluslararası ayağında DEA (ABD), Brezilya Federal Polisi, İngiltere NCA ile… pic.twitter.com/8ajP0jNBvf
— Murat BAKAN (@CHPMuratBakan) January 13, 2026
Bakan drew attention to the absence of Turkish law enforcement units in the international operation, while mentioning all the countries that took part in the operation that led to the seizure of the cocaine.
“Who is missing? Our police,” Bakan said in remarks on X. “Why are they missing? Ours are chasing street dealers.”
The Turkish government has long been accused focusing its drug enforcement efforts on street-level dealers and users rather than on those alleged to be involved in large-scale drug trafficking.
Referring to recent drug operations targeting celebrities in Turkey that been ongoing for several months, with new detentions every day, Bakan criticized what he described as performative law enforcement.
“It is easy to hunt celebrities at the Bebek Hotel. It is easy to share operation videos in front of the cameras,” he said, referring to a recent police operation at a hotel on the Bosporus in the Bebek neighborhood, which led to the detention of seven people, including actor Can Yaman, a star in Italy as well as Turkey.
Bakan also asked whether Turkish authorities have launched an investigation into the United S and posed several questions to the Interior Ministry, including how the shipment was allowed to depart, who financed it, through which company network it was transported and where the proceeds were transferred.
Another question the lawmaker asked was whether Turkey’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) had examined the money trail, whether port departures, cargo documents and agency and brokerage links have been reviewed and whether Turkish authorities have shared information directly with Spain.