A semi-submerged vessel carrying more than 5,000 pounds of cocaine was seized in the South Pacific off the coast of Colombia as the crew tried unsuccessfully to sink the drug cargo, the country’s navy announced Wednesday. The news came about two weeks later The largest so-called “narco sub” It was intercepted with 3 tons of cocaine on board recorded in Colombia.
Three people were aboard the 55-foot semi-submersible when Colombian Navy units located it, officials said in a news release. The Navy said in a statement that the ship was carrying about 5,300 pounds of cocaine, worth about $81 million, and was bound for Central America.
Officials said that when the crew saw the Colombian Navy approaching, they tried to open the valves and sink the ship with its drug cargo. However, military personnel foiled the attempt, salvaging the ship and cargo, rescuing the three men on board.
Military officials found 125 black packages inside the ship, and later tests confirmed they contained about 5,300 pounds of cocaine.
The three were arrested and face charges that could send them to prison for up to 14 years.
The Navy said it was the third semi-submersible intercept in less than three weeks, totaling more than $200 million in drugs. So far in 2023, the Colombian Navy has intercepted 13 “narco subs” from reaching their intended destinations, officials said.
In March, officials made a seizure Narco sub carrying two bodies and large quantities of narcotics in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Colombia. About a week later, a semi-submerged vessel contained about 1,000 packages of cocaine. to block in the same region.
“Narco subs” are commonly used by Central and South American traffickers to transport drugs. Ships move low in the water to avoid detection and are rarely able to fully submerge.
Submarines sometimes make it as far as North America. inside 2019A submarine carrying 12,000 pounds of cocaine worth more than $165 million has been seized by the US Coast Guard.