In a major blow to international drug trafficking, Colombian authorities have recovered over 6 tons of cocaine from a semi-submersible vessel… often dubbed a “narco-sub”… and two secret underground caches, the nation’s navy revealed this week.
Dramatic footage released by officials captures the moment the makeshift submarine was intercepted off Colombia’s Pacific coastline, in the Narino region bordering Ecuador. Additional video clips show security forces, aided by a trained sniffer dog, uncovering bundles of cocaine buried deep beneath the earth in hidden locations.
A military vessel was seen docked nearby with more than 100 tightly wrapped packages of the illegal substance laid out on the shore… evidence of the sheer scale of the operation.
Authorities estimate the street value of the seized narcotics to be around $300 million. The Colombian Navy confirmed that 3,000 kilograms of cocaine were taken from the ocean vessel, while another 270 kilograms were found in the underground stashes.
While officials have yet to disclose how many individuals were apprehended or the intended destination of the submarine’s cargo, they emphasized that this operation sends a strong message. “The national navy reaffirms its commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and will intensify operations against organized crime groups,” a naval spokesperson stated.
This massive bust followed a similar seizure just one day earlier, when Colombian forces captured three tons of drugs in the Pacific, reportedly en route to Central America. During that mission, authorities chased down a suspicious vessel, eventually arresting three suspects. That shipment alone was valued at approximately $97 million.
Narco-subs are designed to skim just above the water’s surface, making them incredibly difficult to detect with radar. Though they can’t dive fully underwater, their stealth and mobility have made them a favored smuggling tool for drug cartels around the globe… especially in Colombia, the world’s leading cocaine producer.
These types of maritime seizures have been on the rise, signaling both the persistence of drug networks and the growing success of military crackdowns.
