In Biggles' Combined Operation, the Saphos was a ship used by the drug gang to distribute drugs around the Mediterranean. Probably an old steam yacht converted for commercial work, it displaced about 200 tons and flew the Panamanian flag. It had a black hull and a yellow band around the funnel. The Saphos called about once a month at Marseilles, discharging a load of dried fruit and taking on board a load of salt fish. Biggles shadowed the ship to the island of Venesos where it docked next to a larger, Russian-registered, ship which had carried raw opium from the East to the island to be processed into heroin. The Saphos would then take the heroin to various distribution centres using runners such as Alfondez. As part of his efforts to destroy the drug gang, Biggles set fire to the Saphos. Being of wooden construction, she burnt readily and was totally destroyed.
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