4 Tons of Cocaine Seized by Windward Customers 

Windward customers keep winning! 

A Spanish operation in the Atlantic led to the seizure of 4 tons of cocaine, according to a LinkedIn post from the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics (MAOC-N). 

Shared Intel & Operational Plan Lead to Huge Drug Bust

The MAOC-N is an initiative by nine EU Member Countries (France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, and Portugal) and the UK, and is co-funded by the Internal Security Fund of the European Union. 

Over the past few weeks, MAOC-N members shared intel regarding a fishing vessel that would be crossing the Atlantic with a significant amount of cocaine and heading toward the Iberian Peninsula. As the target approached European waters, an operational plan was put in place. 

To quote the post by MAOC-N:

“In the early hours of the 12th of November, the Spanish Navy patrol vessel Atalaya, supported by the Special Operations (GEO) group and officers from the Spanish National Police, boarded the GLORIA FIGUEIROA in a position 400nm off Las Palmas (Canary Islands.) The Spanish boarding team was able to identify 100 bales of cocaine in the fish hold, specially conceived to be easily transferred to other vessels at sea.”  

The post names the partnering law enforcement agencies. Multiple organizations involved in the bust are Windward customers. 

Sharing is Caring

What are some key components and principles for coordinating multiple organizations to make a massive bust like this? 

Unclassified data is critical. Law enforcement teams must be able to simply share vessel profiles or their investigations with other personnel or agencies, making it easier to collaborate on complex and quickly evolving missions. It should be possible to share all generated insights by using vessel reports, shareable links and in-platform comments.

The MAOC-N post refers to SIX(!) supporting agencies. The required information sharing and collaboration to generate a common operating picture necessitates an AI™ platform. 

Windward’s technology enables easy sharing and we have a proven track record with the world’s leading defense and law enforcement agencies, including coast guards.

A Complete Operating Picture via 4 Components 

Without a full operating picture, law enforcement and intelligence agencies are grasping at straws. These four components enable complete visibility: 

1. Collection of diverse data sources: agencies gather data from various sources, including shipping records, travel data, financial transactions, communication intercepts, and previous enforcement activities. This data can reveal patterns, trends, and networks related to drug trafficking.
2. Predictive modeling and risk assessment: using machine learning and statistical modeling, analysts can predict which shipments, routes, or individuals are most likely to be involved in fentanyl trafficking. Risk assessment tools evaluate the probability of illicit activity based on factors such as origin, destination, shipping methods, and known associates.
3. Relationship analysis: by analyzing relationships and connections between individuals and organizations, authorities can uncover drug trafficking networks. This helps in identifying key players, understanding organizational structures, and targeting efforts to dismantle these networks.
4. Real-time analytics and decision support: data analytics tools can provide real-time insights to frontline officers and decision-makers. For example, they might receive alerts about high-risk shipments arriving at a port of entry, enabling them to conduct targeted inspections.

Two additional considerations: an innovative AI-powered risk model can identify vessels that are at the highest risk of being involved in smuggling activities. It does this by evaluating each vessel daily and flagging those with the highest risk. The model must be constantly updated following drug busts, as part of a machine learning program. 

Users can also leverage AI to learn and adapt. If one illicit actor is caught employing a new technique or tactic, it is likely that others are doing the same. By reverse engineering smugglers’ route and tactics, and considering the port of origin and port of destination, law enforcement agencies and coast guards can use a sequence search capability to look for a sequence of actions. They may find other vessels engaged in drug smuggling. 

And once new patterns of behavior are discovered, they can be configured as a risk that your organization wishes to continue monitoring.

Want to see how this all works with your own eyes? 

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