This is the third semi-submarine found sailing with crew and alkaloids. To date, 110 ships have been found.
Nariño. The National Navy, using radar and detection systems of the latest technology, capable of finding long-range targets, intercepted 54 nautical miles north of the island of Malpelo, in the department of Valle del Cauca, a semi-submarine manned by three individuals transporting 1,722 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, to Central America.
The illegal ship, 12 meters long and three meters wide, was manned by three Colombians, and had sailed off the coasts of the Colombian South Pacific, bound for Central America. It was intercepted by units of the Pacific Naval Force that carried out operations of surveillance and maritime control, directed by the Naval Intelligence.
Upon inspection of the handcrafted construction ship, it was established that it had mechanical faults in its engines and a water leak, 1,723 rectangular blocks were found inside. The ship was transferred to the facilities of the National Navy in Buenaventura. The semi-submarine, the cargo and the crew were put into custody of the authorities; the device was wrecked.
The individuals and the material were put into custody of the authorities. The Preliminary Initial Test - PIPH gave a positive result for 1,722 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride. The three captured will be responsible for the crimes of trafficking, manufacturing and carrying of narcotics and the crime of use, construction, commercialization, possession and transportation of semi-submarines, penalized through Law 1311 of 2009.
In 2014 and 2016, other two semi submarines were found by troops of the National Navy, sailing, with crew and alkaloids, in the Pacific Ocean.
To date, the National Navy has found 110 submarine or semi-submarine type devices, in coordinated and / or combined operations, making use of cooperation agreements conducted by the Navies of the region, since 1993, when the first illegal device was found in the Colombian Caribbean.
This year, the National Navy has found 14 semi-submarine-type ships in the Colombian Pacific and has significantly weakened the logistical structure of drug trafficking organizations with the capture of 115 people.
The strength in operations against drug trafficking, have in the same way led to the finding, so far this year, of more than 61 tons of cocaine hydrochloride, preventing the entrance of about 2,100 million dollars in the drug trafficking organizations, product of its sale in the international illegal market.
Source: Pacific Naval Force - National Navy
