In a significant crackdown on drug smuggling, the Colombian Navy has intercepted a semi-submersible vessel loaded with cocaine, potentially signaling a new route for narco-traffickers aiming for Australia.
Colombian Navy Discovers New Narco-Submarine Route to Australia
Colombian Navy Discovers New Narco-Submarine Route to Australia
Colombian naval forces intercept a cocaine-laden semi-submersible, revealing an emerging drug trafficking path to Australia.
The Colombian Navy has revealed that they intercepted a semi-submersible vessel in the Pacific Ocean, which was packed with a considerable amount of cocaine. This operation is part of a larger campaign that has resulted in hundreds of arrests related to drug trafficking.
The authorities indicated that the vessel was outfitted with enough fuel to navigate towards Australia, suggesting a potential shift in smuggling routes. Maps discovered on board confirmed that the vessel was indeed en route to Australia, where the demand for cocaine is hugely profitable—selling at up to $240,000 per kilogram, a substantial margin above U.S. prices.
This latest interception marks the third similar vessel intercepted in Pacific waters, raising suspicions that drug trafficking organizations are establishing a direct maritime route to Australia. The recent find occurred approximately 1,200 miles southwest of Clipperton Island, an isolated French atoll.
According to Vice-Admiral Orlando Enrique Grisales of the Colombian Navy, these homemade submarines have journeyed from the Colombian port of Tumaco, traveling thousands of miles before interception. "The first submarine was discovered in Colombia’s waters, and documents on board provided us with the route," Vice-Admiral Grisales noted during a press briefing.
This operation is a part of "Orion," a multinational effort involving security forces from numerous countries, which has led to the confiscation of a staggering 225 tonnes of cocaine over just six weeks. The initiative has also resulted in over 400 arrests across various nations and highlighted the intertwined connections between drug trafficking networks in South America and Oceania.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro commended the Navy's successful operation, as authorities continue to pursue the organized crime networks behind this burgeoning drug trade route.
