Gibraltar divers discover cocaine stash hidden in cargo ship

The 120kg haul came from a Panama-flagged vessel that had stopped over in Gibraltar to refuel during a nighttime operation earlier this week. Officers from the Marine Section conducted a search of the bulk carrier M/V Great Zhou on April 30 after it had arrived from Santos in Brazil. Using a recently purchased underwater drone, customs officials discovered four suspicious packages hidden on the side of the ship, concealed in what's known as a ‘sea chest’ – an underwater opening in the hull that draws in seawater for the ship's cooling and operational systems. The packages were stashed in this recessed area on the port (left) side of the vessel, hidden from routine inspections.