Colombian Navy intercepts first “narco sub” of 12 months, seizes greater than 5,000 kilos of cocaine

A semi-submersible vessel loaded with over 5,000 kilos of cocaine was intercepted off the Pacific coast of Colombia, the nation’s navy mentioned Wednesday. Officers mentioned it marked the nation’s first seizure of a so-called “narco sub” this 12 months.

In a social media publish, Colombia’s navy mentioned it stopped the semi-submersible about 100 nautical miles from Tumaco, which is near the Ecuador border. Officers mentioned the “narco sub” was manned by two Colombians and one Ecuadorian and a picture launched by the navy confirmed three males being detained behind dozens of piles of packages containing the alleged medication.

Officers mentioned a complete of 111 bundles had been discovered, containing 2,276 kilograms of cocaine with a road worth of about $76 million.

The navy posted video of the operation, together with footage that reveals a highlight shining on the semi-submersible. One other clip reveals a naval ship returning to port and officers unloading massive bricks of narcotics.

Semi-submersibles lie very low on the ocean’s floor however can’t go absolutely underwater. They’re common amongst worldwide drug traffickers as a result of they’ll usually elude detection by authorities. 

Although mostly seen off the coast of Colombia, “narco subs” have been noticed throughout the globe in latest months. 

Final month, a “narco sub” broke in two items as a fishing boat was towing it to a port in northwestern Spain. In November, the Mexican Navy mentioned it seized about 8,000 kilos of cocaine aboard a “narco sub” about 150 miles off the resort of Acapulco.  In September, the U.S. Coast Guard mentioned that it had offloaded greater than $54 million value of cocaine  — together with over 1,200 kilos of medicine that had been seized from a “narco sub.”

Two months earlier, Interpol mentioned authorities in Guyana seized a semisubmersible vessel that was getting used for drug trafficking by one of many nation’s jungles.

The Colombian navy mentioned it intercepted 20 semi-submersibles in all of 2023, resulting in the seizure of 30 tons of cocaine and greater than 5 tons of marijuana. That 12 months, a “narco sub” with two lifeless our bodies and practically three tons of cocaine aboard was seized off the coast of Colombia.

contributed to this report.