Colombian Navy Seizes “Narco Subs” in Global Anti-Drug Operation

Six “narco submarines” loaded with cocaine were intercepted during an international anti-drug operation led by Colombia, officials announced Wednesday. The operation, which included 62 countries, seized over 1,400 metric tonnes of drugs between October 1 and November 14, according to Vice Admiral Orlando Enrique Grisales of the Colombian Navy.

Among the seized drugs were 225 metric tons of cocaine, including 5 tons found aboard a semi-submersible vessel on a route from Colombia to Australia. The vessel, equipped with enough fuel for the journey, was intercepted in Pacific waters, marking the third such capture along this route, Grisales revealed. “Thanks to the maps on board, we identified the route and began collaborating with Australian authorities,” he said.

The operation, dubbed “Orion,” resulted in more than 400 arrests across multiple nations. Officials said the discovery underscores growing ties between South American cartels and organized crime networks in Oceania. Australia, with some of the highest global cocaine prices, has become an increasingly lucrative target for traffickers. A kilogram of cocaine can fetch up to $240,000 in Australia, six times its value in the United States.

Smuggling routes to Australia are believed to have expanded due to the profitability of the market, where cocaine use per capita is among the highest globally. The semi-submersibles seized in the operation were all capable of making the long journey from Colombia without refueling. One vessel was intercepted 1,200 miles southwest of Clipperton Island, believed to have departed from Tumaco, a key smuggling port.