The Peruvian Navy has confiscated more than 200 kilograms of cocaine found onboard a Teekay LNG tanker while at anchor near the Port of Pisco, Peru.
Suspicious activity reported around the LNG carrier Hispania Spirit prompted a search of the ship, leading to the discovery of 211 kilograms of cocaine along with a Venezuelan national who was not part of the ship’s crew, the Navy said.
The drugs were found stashed near the vessel’s rudder, a common hiding spot for smugglers who use deep draft commercial vessels to transport illegal goods and stowaways. The rudder trunk is favored by smugglers because it can be reached while the ship is in ballast and the rudder trunk is easily accessible from the water using small craft.
The vessel’s next destination was the Port of Manzanillo in Mexico, the Peruvian Navy said.
The Spain-flagged, 137,814 CBM Hispania Spirit is 100% owned by Teekay Corporation.
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