"Narco sub" carrying 3.6 tons of cocaine intercepted in Pacific

20 jam yang lalu

Combating narco-subs and trafficking

Combating narco-subs and narco-terrorism successful nan U.S. and abroad 04:35

The Mexican Navy said Tuesday it has seized 3.6 tons (about 8,000 pounds) of cocaine aboard a "narco sub" disconnected nan Pacific seashore which was spotted earlier this week astir 153 miles disconnected nan resort of Acapulco.

Navy ships arrived to intercept nan boat, which was carrying 102 packages filled pinch bricks of cocaine, authorities said successful a news release.

The craft, of a type known arsenic "go-fast boats," was powered by 2 outboard motors and appeared to beryllium a low-profile, semi-submersible trade -- commonly known arsenic a "narco sub" -- designed to make discovery much difficult.

Aboard nan craft, nan Navy detained 9 unit members, six of whom were foreigners. The Navy did not specify their nationalities, but galore of nan boats recovered disconnected Mexico person Colombian aliases Venezuelan unit members.

Officials released an image of numbered packages containing nan cocaine flanked by 2 naval ships.

Cocaine is produced successful South America and is usually shipped done nan Pacific aliases nan Caribbean to scope nan U.S. market.

The seizure comes conscionable weeks aft nan Mexican navy announced it had seized much than 8.3 tons of narcotics successful nan Pacific Ocean, a grounds for a azygous cognition astatine sea. The cargo was intercepted from six different vessels, including a "narco sub" that held astir 4,800 pounds of narcotics.

The Navy said Tuesday that much than 15,000 kilograms of alleged narcotics person been seized astatine oversea nether nan existent administration.

Earlier this year, Mexico's Navy seized much than 7 tons of suspected cocaine successful 2 abstracted raids successful nan Pacific Ocean, and dramatic video captured nan high-speed chases connected nan unfastened sea.

In September, nan U.S. Coast Guard said that it had offloaded much than $54 cardinal worthy of cocaine — including complete 1,200 pounds of narcotics that were seized from a "narco sub."

Semi-submersibles, which cannot spell afloat underwater, are celebrated among world supplier traffickers arsenic they tin sometimes elude discovery by rule enforcement. The vessels are sometimes seized in Colombian waters while heading to nan United States, Central America and Europe. Earlier this summer, nan Colombian Navy said it seized 2 "narco subs" disconnected nan country's Pacific seashore that together contained almost 5 tons of cocaine.