Spanish authorities have found cocaine hidden in the engine room of a Besiktas Group capesize.
The 169,000-dwt Besiktas Kazakhstan (built 2010) was searched on 5 July at Carboneras after arriving with a coal cargo on 10 June, the Diario Cordoba reported.
About 43kg of the drug was found hidden in a ballast tank.
The vessel is thought to have come from Colombia.
It has now been offloaded and left the port on 12 July, sailing west in the Atlantic.
The ship has 21 Turkish crew. There is no suggestion they were aware of the cocaine on board.
Thorough search in Colombia
Besiktas Group told TradeWinds the ship had completed loading its cargo at Puerto Bolivar in Colombia on 28 May.
“A thorough check across the vessel and underwater search had been conducted by Colombian authorities prior to departure and the vessel had been found clear of drugs,” it added.
Cargo unloading began at Carboneras on 5 July and Spanish authorities boarded the bulker the next day to conduct another search.
They found two wrapped packages containing a total of 50kg of cocaine hidden in the rudder trunk, Besiktas said.
“The Spanish authorities confirmed that they had been following the vessel since the departure from Colombia and the packages had been placed by the divers at loading port,” it added.
“Authorities declared upon completion of search and interrogation of crew that nothing was found to accuse our crew of being linked to the incident.”
The case is considered closed both for the vessel and its crew, the owner said.
