Lorsque l'autorisation d'intervention arrive enfin, le navire suspect a eu tout le temps de s'enfuir ou de détruire les preuves du délit, et toute l'opération finit en quenouille.
By the time authorisation to intervene is obtained, the suspect vessel has had time to get away or to destroy evidence of the crime, which means that the entire operation has to be aborted.