Drug traffickers are using "narco-submarines" to escape coastal patrols. However, one was recently captured by Colombia's Navy, the first catch of 2024. The sub was reportedly heading to Ecuadorian waters when it was intercepted by Colombian authorities.

Colombian Navy spokesperson Capt. Wilmer Roa told the media that the narco-submarine was intercepted last Saturday morning off the Pacific Coast of Colombia. It was a 49-foot-long homemade craft, and the Navy found that it was carrying almost 1,765 pounds of cocaine that were packaged into small brick-sized packages.

According to the Los Angeles Times, these packages were found with a logo that featured scorpions and the Mexican flag. This was the first of what the Colombian Navy expects to be many captures, as it managed to intercept 10 of these narco-submarines last year.

"In reality, this was a small seizure," said Roa. "We've caught submarines with almost 3,500 kilos," or 7,716 pounds of cocaine previously, he added.

Colombia has been struggling to limit the production of cocaine in the country for recent years. This comes as rebel groups and drug cartels are now taking over territory abandoned by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrillas after the rebel group was disbanded following a 2016 peace deal.

A United Nations Office for Drug and Crime report has found that the area where coca plants are grown has reached an all-time high of 568,000 acres in 2022, a 24% increase from the previous year.

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Ecuador also Intercepts Nacro-Submarine With Help From Colombia

From Colombia, these narco-submarines often pass through Ecuadorian waters to deliver their payload to the north, likely Mexico. This route has been popular among drug traffickers, and the navies and coast guards of these countries often share information, which proved fruitful this time around as Ecuador also captured a narco-submarine thanks to Colombian intelligence.

However, this Colombian narco-submarine captured in Ecuador contained a far larger payload than the one captured in Colombia, as Ecuadorian officials revealed it was carrying 3.2 tons of cocaine. The Ecuadorians also credited the interception to Colombian intelligence.

Narco-Submarines a Popular Way To Traffic Cocaine From Colombia

The arrest of the sub in Colombia meanwhile also led to the arrest of three people who were manning the sib. The packages of the cocaine they were transporting have been labeled "Winnie" and "Carnal," according to Yahoo! News.

"With this seizure, the entry of nearly $27m to drug trafficking organizations was prevented, as a result of its sale in the international illegal market, as well as the distribution of approximately two million doses on the streets of the world," said the Colombian Navy in a statement.

Drug cartels have been using these narco-submarines as a way to avoid detection, and these vehicles are often homemade, constructed using fiberglass and plywood, and can go largely undetected. They can also be sunk after delivery.

Drug traffickers often use the hulls of speedboats to make these subs and adapt them slightly so they can travel beneath the surface like a real submarine. However, using these vehicles can be deadly, as drug traffickers often die on these perilous journeys.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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