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Tracking down drug smugglers is part of the daily practice of the Colombian navy. Time and time again big fish are caught by the authorities. So recently again. But this mission was a bit different from the others. Because: half the boat crew was already dead when the soldiers arrived.
A few days ago, according to “The Maritime Executive”, the Colombian Navy intercepted a 15-meter smuggler’s boat with a cargo of no less than 2.6 tons of cocaine. The Navy estimates that such a quantity is worth about $90 million and would be enough to supply consumers with up to six million cans.
Toxic gases from fuel as a cause of death
When the Marines boarded the boat to secure the cargo of drugs, they made a terrifying find. In addition to the huge amount of cocaine, they also found two dead men. When they searched the inside of the boat more closely, they found two other men, both in very bad health.
“Apparently there was an accident in the boat, where poisonous gases escaped from the fuel,” the Colombian navy assesses the incident. The men on board would have inhaled them as a result. The two survivors were immediately taken to hospital.
The cocaine was also seized. The cargo was taken to Tumaco, a small fishing port near the border with Ecuador, for further processing.
Route is popular with smugglers
The boat was heading off the Colombian Pacific coast to a hub in Central America, a typical one-way trip for smugglers carrying expensive cargo. The route is therefore well known to the Colombian authorities.
The fight against cocaine smuggling has been a constant effort for years in the corridors around Central America and the Caribbean. Local military units are therefore always on hand to take drug smugglers out of circulation.
Last week, US troops landed $160 million worth of cocaine on a pier in Port Everglades, Florida. They also indicated eight suspects who had been arrested in several arrests. (ceded)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
