In the trial concerning the smuggling of cocaine from Colombia to Europe on a sailing yacht, new details have emerged about the planned handover of the drugs. According to Norddeutscher Rundfunk, the 59-year-old defendant told the Rostock Regional Court on Wednesday that he was to stage a shipwreck with his yacht in the North Sea. Other members of the smuggling network were then supposed to bring him and his wife ashore with the drug consignment.
It never came to that. As early as 8 August 2025, Portuguese investigators intercepted the sailing yacht, which was around 14 metres long, near the Azores. According to the Rostock Public Prosecutor’s Office, the officers found 263.73 kilograms of cocaine on board. The estimated street value was up to 16 million euros.
During the the process that has been ongoing since August 2026 The skipper has already confessed to the attempted drug trafficking. His wife, who is also facing charges, has so far denied any knowledge of the drugs on board.
Cocaine smuggling on a sailing yacht: the handover was planned to take place in the North Sea
At the hearing on 14 October, the defendant revealed further details about those who had commissioned him. He identified a man in photographs provided by German investigators, describing him as a leading figure in the Colombian drug cartel. The photographs had been taken whilst the drug handover in Colombia was being monitored.
The skipper also described how the cargo was to be transported to Europe. According to his account, the approximately 264 kilograms of cocaine were intended for various buyers. 113 kilograms were to be received by a drug dealer, and a further 150 kilograms by an acquaintance of the defendant, who allegedly intended to sell the cocaine in Turkey.
From Greifswald to Colombia: a yacht costing 200,000 euros
The background to the case dates back to 2024. According to the prosecution, it was at that time that the plan was hatched to transport a large quantity of cocaine by sea from Colombia to Germany. To this end, the couple purchased a sailing yacht approximately 14 metres long, named ‘Leander’, in Greifswald. According to information that came to light at the start of the trial, 200,000 euros in cash was paid for it.
The yacht was subsequently named ‘Target’. However, it is understood that no official re-registration took place. It is believed to be a Hanse 470.
The couple’s journey took them first through the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal, and then across the Atlantic. According to the details read out in court, the pair arrived in the Colombian port city of Cartagena on 6 February 2025. After a brief trip to Germany, they returned to Colombia in May.
According to his subsequent confession, the defendant received the consignment of cocaine from his contacts there. The drugs were handed over in shopping bags and then stowed on board in waterproof sacks. Part of the consignment was hidden under a berth.
On 4 July 2025, the yacht set sail for Europe.
Faulty sails, autopilot failure and running aground on a reef
According to the defendant, even the journey to Colombia was marred by serious technical problems. As emerged during earlier days of the trial, the headsail system failed during a storm. The autopilot also stopped working at times.
Instead of making an official distress call, the skipper claims to have informed his clients. They then reportedly sent a motorboat with four people on board to provide assistance. However, the boat never arrived. It is not clear what happened to the people on board.
It is alleged that the drugs were originally intended to be handed over in Jamaica. However, due to the weather conditions, the decision was ultimately made to go to Cartagena, the defendant explained.
There were also difficulties on the return journey to Europe. According to him, the yacht ran aground on a reef near an atoll in the Bahamas and was stranded there for several days. The US Coast Guard was also made aware of the incident. Eventually, the boat was successfully towed free.
In court, the man also stated that this was not the first time he had transported drugs by sailing boat. As far back as 2024, he said he had been forced to abort a voyage due to technical problems and had to call at a port in Spain. He claimed to have thrown the drugs he was transporting at the time overboard for fear of being inspected. He added that this failed shipment had also contributed to his debts to his clients.
International investigators stop the yacht off the Azores
The “Target”’s return journey ended in the Atlantic in August 2025. As part of the international operation “Albus”, the sailing yacht was intercepted by the Portuguese authorities and subsequently taken to Ponta Delgada in the Azores.
According to the Portuguese Criminal Investigation Department, the operation involved not only the Portuguese Navy and Air Force but also German investigative authorities and agencies from the US, France and the UK. The International Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics also supported the operation.
The arrest was no coincidence. German investigators had already been monitoring the man who would later stand trial before he left Colombia. According to court reports to date, telephone surveillance had been in place since May 2025, amongst other measures.
In his confession, the 59-year-old explained that he had intended to use the drug shipment to settle debts with his clients. He insisted that his wife knew nothing about the hidden drugs.
However, the prosecution questions this account. According to the investigations so far, large quantities of cocaine were stored in various locations below deck. The court has yet to determine whether the woman was actually in on the plot.
The trial is taking place amid heightened security measures. Both defendants are in pre-trial detention. The skipper is due to answer further questions today, 16 October. His wife has announced that she will give evidence on 6 November.
Which questions regarding the ‘Target’ voyage should be clarified in particular as the process moves forward?
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital