Portuguese authorities have made a record-breaking seizure of cocaine, with nearly 9 tons of the illicit substance found on board a semi-submersible craft intercepted off the Azores archipelago. The vessel, dubbed a "narco sub," sank in the open seas after a daring operation by police, the navy, air force, and authorities from the UK and US.
The cargo of cocaine is described as the largest ever seized in Portugal, with 35 of 300 packages of the drug being recovered from the wreckage. The seizure was made possible through an international effort, involving cooperation between Portuguese law enforcement agencies, naval and air forces, as well as units from the US and UK.
According to authorities, the narco sub originated in Latin America, carrying three Colombians and a Venezuelan on board. The vessel had been tracked by police after nearly 6.5 tons of cocaine were seized off the Azores last March. The most recent seizure is believed to be part of a larger operation to disrupt international drug trafficking.
Narco subs have long been used by traffickers to transport cocaine from Colombia to Central America and Mexico, but in recent years they have begun sailing farther afield, with routes crossing the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. These vessels are often built in clandestine jungle shipyards and can be deadly for those involved, as was seen in 2023 when a narco sub carrying two dead bodies and nearly 3 tons of cocaine was seized off the coast of Colombia.
The latest seizure highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to disrupt global narcotics trafficking networks. As authorities continue to target these vessels and dismantle their operations, it remains to be seen whether this will mark a turning point in the fight against narco subs and international drug crime.
The cargo of cocaine is described as the largest ever seized in Portugal, with 35 of 300 packages of the drug being recovered from the wreckage. The seizure was made possible through an international effort, involving cooperation between Portuguese law enforcement agencies, naval and air forces, as well as units from the US and UK.
According to authorities, the narco sub originated in Latin America, carrying three Colombians and a Venezuelan on board. The vessel had been tracked by police after nearly 6.5 tons of cocaine were seized off the Azores last March. The most recent seizure is believed to be part of a larger operation to disrupt international drug trafficking.
Narco subs have long been used by traffickers to transport cocaine from Colombia to Central America and Mexico, but in recent years they have begun sailing farther afield, with routes crossing the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. These vessels are often built in clandestine jungle shipyards and can be deadly for those involved, as was seen in 2023 when a narco sub carrying two dead bodies and nearly 3 tons of cocaine was seized off the coast of Colombia.
The latest seizure highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to disrupt global narcotics trafficking networks. As authorities continue to target these vessels and dismantle their operations, it remains to be seen whether this will mark a turning point in the fight against narco subs and international drug crime.
, but also kinda worried that we're just chasing our tails here 
... I mean, think about it, we've been tracking these narco subs for ages, and now we seize nearly 9 tons of coke, but what's the real motive behind all this? Is it really just to stop the flow of cocaine or is there more to it? And what about those three Colombians and a Venezuelan on board - are they just pawns in a larger game? 
... It's like, how do we stop people from making money off of smuggling when it's so lucrative? We gotta think outside the box here 
and come up with some creative solutions. But at the same time, I don't want to see our efforts just creating more problems down the line 
... It's like, we're caught in this never-ending cycle 
, and I'm not sure if we'll ever find a way out 
But at the same time, like, how do you even get that kind of stuff into a semi-submersible craft without it being totally obvious? 
I'm not buying the story about it just being a coincidence that these narco subs are getting busted left and right... 
It's literally a testament to international cooperation! The fact that they were able to track down 35 packages of cocaine from the wreckage is just incredible – and can you believe the sheer amount of coke seized? Nearly 9 tons?! 
That's, like, whoa! And it's not just about the numbers; it's also about the bravery of the people involved in this operation. I mean, taking down a vessel that's literally sailing through treacherous waters is no easy feat! 
. It's wild to think about how far those vessels are traveling, crossing oceans and all, to get that cocaine to its final destination 
i feel bad for those 3 colombians and the venezuelan who got caught up in all this, they prob didn't even know what they were getting into 
the fact that narco subs are gettin built in secret jungles is wild, like a real-life game of grand theft auto 
.
. Just sayin', it doesn't add up. I'm not saying it's definitely a conspiracy or anything, but you can bet your bottom dollar that there's more to this story than meets the eye 
.