Colombian Navy intercepts ‘largest ever’ narco-submarine in history with three tonnes of cocaine

Colombian laws penalise use, construction, commercialisation, possession, and transportation of these semi-submersibles, with up to 14 years in prison.

The vessel was carrying a staggering three tonnes of cocaine, which will fetch around $103 million in the market, the navy said, according to reports.

The Central America sea route is commonly used by peddlers for drug smuggling into the United States—the world’s largest consumer of Colombian cocaine.

The navy also detained three crew members—aged 45, 54 and 63—who are all Colombians. They claimed that they were “forced by a drug trafficking organisation” to take the sub to Central America, the navy said in a statement.

The images released by authorities showed that the dark-coloured submarine was carrying numerous packages of narcotics cleverly camouflaged with Toyota labels. 

Local media reports stated that Friday’s seizure was one the biggest in the country since Colombia began keeping track in 1993.

Over the past three decades, the Colombian Navy has intercepted a total of 228 similar vessels used to transport large quantities of drugs from the Pacific Ocean to the United States or even across the Atlantic to Europe.

The three suspects were later transported to Tumaco in southern Colombia to face legal proceedings.

Though the enforcement authorities have been able to successfully crack down on drug mafia, the trade still runs uninterrupted in Colombia, with record levels of cocaine production reported.

In 2021, around 204,000 hectares of coca crops were cultivated, resulting in the production of approximately 1,400 tons of cocaine hydrochloride, according to the United Nations.

The fight against drug trafficking remains an ongoing struggle, with profound impacts on the country and the international community.