A semi-submersible vessel was intercepted by military personnel off the coast of Colombia on Sunday 12th March 2023. On board were $87 million worth of cocaine, two deceased individuals, and two surviving crew members.
The surviving crew members were found in poor health conditions and were immediately transported to a nearby ship for medical attention. It is believed that toxic gases from fuel caused an accident inside the vessel.
Colombian officials confirmed that the 2,643 kilograms of cocaine on board the submarine were destined for Central America. The Navy also stated that foreign support was involved in preventing the $87 million from entering the financial structures of drug trafficking organizations.
The discovery of the vessel occurred on the same day that Colombian officials encountered three semi-submersible vessels believed to belong to a splinter faction of the FARC, a guerilla group that has long fought with the Colombian government.
The Colombian Navy has pledged to continue deploying its capabilities to counter drug trafficking structures in the Colombian Pacific.
Drug traffickers in the region frequently employ “narco subs” for the transportation of illicit substances, as evidenced by prior incidents, such as the seizure of a semi-submersible vessel carrying $150 million worth of cocaine by the Colombian Navy in the previous year.
These vessels have been known to traverse long distances, including all the way to North America, exemplified by the interception of a submarine carrying over $165 million worth of cocaine by the U.S. Coast Guard in 2019.
