Costa Maya, Q.R. — Four men were arrested and over two tons of cocaine seized during an at-sea drug bust. The armed forces of Colombia has reported seizing “more than two tons of cocaine hydrochloride” during an operation in the Caribbean Sea Wednesday.
On the market, the Colombian National Navy (Armada Nacional de Colombia) said the drugs are valued at $79 million U.S.
Approximately 1,600 kilos were found onboard one vessel and another 700 kilos retrieved from the water after being thrown overboard by drug dealers. “The drug traffickers threw another 700 kilos into the sea to escape from the authorities,” Colombian authorities reported.
Armada de Colombia said “in the development of maritime patrol and control activities, together with the Joint and Interagency Task Force of the United States Southern Command and authorities of Panama, we seized more than two tons of cocaine hydrochloride in the Caribbean Sea.”
“Approximately 2,300 kilos of cocaine hydrochloride was seized in two simultaneous operations in the island region of the San Andrés and Providencia archipelago.
“In the midst of patrolling and maritime control activities, the two ‘gofast’ type drug boats were detected that were sailing quickly and suspiciously towards Central America.
“Immediately, the Specific Command of San Andrés and Providencia deployed a Naval Aviation Maritime Patrol Boat and a Quick Reaction Unit in order to carry out the interdiction of the vessels.
Photo: Armada de Colombia June 19, 2024.
“The first operation took place 120 miles from San Andrés in the heart of the Caribbean. Colombian and United States coast guards, as well as the Air Force, participated. The boat that was seized was crewed by three Nicaraguans and a Costa Rican who were carrying about 1,600 kilos of cocaine.
“In parallel, 160 miles from the same island, another operation with support from Panama was closed with the fall of another vessel. The drug traffickers threw the drugs into the sea, recovered by the coast guard, up to a total of 700 kilos of cocaine.
“The illicit substance seized is valued in the illegal market at more than $79 million dollars and could be divided into more than five million doses,” they said in a statement.
