Spanish police seized 1,300 kilogrammes of cannabis recently following a dramatic chase involving five boats and a helicopter in the Strait of Gibraltar.

Footage shows the high-speed pursuit as a trafficker speeds towards the Spanish police boat from its starboard side with the intention of ramming it.

The Tax Agency said afterwards that officials had to shoot warning shots at the approaching boat's bow to prevent a collision following its "hostile manoeuvre."

The spectacular pursuit took place in the Strait of Gibraltar when a Spanish Tax Agency helicopter and high-performance boat tracked four vessels trying to smuggle hashish into Spain.

The 1,300 kilogrammes (2,866 lbs) of cannabis ended up in the authorities' hands after the drug traffickers dumped the cargo in the sea during the chase, but the criminals did manage to get away.

Police seized 1,300 kilogrammes of cannabis following a dramatic James Bond-style chase involving five boats and a helicopter in the Strait of Gibraltar.

High-octane footage shows the high-speed pursuit as a trafficker speeds towards the Spanish police boat from its starboard side with the intention of ramming it.

The Tax Agency said afterwards that officials had to shoot warning shots at the approaching boat's bow to prevent a collision following its "hostile manoeuvre".

The spectacular pursuit took place in the Strait of Gibraltar when a Spanish Tax Agency helicopter and high-performance boat tracked four vessels trying to smuggle hashish into Spain.

The 1,300 kilogrammes (2,866 lbs) of cannabis ended up in the authorities' hands after the drug traffickers dumped the cargo in the sea during the chase, but the criminals did manage to get away.

Helicopter crew had earlier identified the four vessels and observed that three of them were loaded with boxes.

Spanish authorities coordinated an interception point and sent out one of their new high-performance boats from Algeciras, a port city on the Bay of Gibraltar.

The Spanish Tax Agency vessel pursued the boats with the helicopter monitoring and filming events from the air.

Officials collected 42 boxes of dumped hashish from the sea after the four boats managed to get away.

Spanish authorities have recently strengthened their resources and acquired two new vessels with greater power and manoeuvrability, making it easier for officers to effectively combat trafficking in open seas.