Mexico: Submarine Carrying Four Tons of Cocaine Intercepted in the Pacific Ocean

The Mexican armed forces conducted a precise operation in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the interception of a technically advanced semi-submersible vessel. On board the boat, detained about 250 nautical miles south of the key port of Manzanillo, 179 bags containing a total of nearly four tons of cocaine were found. The Minister of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, confirmed that three individuals were detained during the operation and handed over to law enforcement to face charges of drug trafficking. This success fits into an intense series of actions targeting drug cartels. Just days earlier, authorities reported the seizure of a light aircraft in the state of Oaxaca, which was transporting over half a ton of drugs. The total tally from the last week's operations is nearly 10 tons of secured cocaine, which, according to the government, represents a loss of many millions of dollars for criminal group budgets. Minister Harfuch emphasized that these operations effectively prevent huge quantities of drugs from reaching city streets, directly weakening the influence of criminal organizations in the region. For decades, Mexico has been grappling with the dominance of powerful cartels using so-called narco-submarines to smuggle drugs towards the USA. These constructions, while technically primitive, are difficult to detect by radar due to their low submerged profile.10 tons — of cocaine seized in Mexico within a weekThe use of semi-submersible vessels is becoming an increasingly common practice among smugglers, forcing the Semar to constantly monitor the coast using modern satellite and aerial technologies. The recent seizure near Colima confirms that Pacific routes remain a key transit corridor for goods originating from South America. Experts indicate that such a large intensification of confiscations may indicate improved intelligence cooperation between Mexico and neighboring countries in the region, including El Salvador, which has also recently reported significant successes at sea. „Over the last week, maritime operations have allowed for the seizure of nearly 10 tons of this drug. This represents a direct, multi-million dollar blow to the financial stability of organized crime.” — Omar García HarfuchHighlights the effectiveness of the security apparatus in fighting cartels as a political success for the current administration. | Notes that despite record seizures, the overall scale of smuggling and violence in the country remains at a critical level.