Drug Smuggling Submarine Seized

[nrj]

Bogota: Colombian soldiers have for the first time seized a fully submersible drug-smuggling submarine capable of reaching the coast of Mexico, authorities announced on Monday.

Last July, another fully submersible "narcosub" was seized just across the border by authorities in neighbouring Ecuador.

Previous drug-carrying vessels found in Colombia were only semi-submersible, meaning part of the structure always remained above the surface.

But the sub discovered on Sunday can operate completely underwater, said Colonel Manuel Hurtado, chief of staff of Colombia's Pacific Command. He estimated it could hold eight tonnes of drugs.

Columbian officials said the 31-metre-long sub can travel nine metres below water, which would make it difficult to spot.


The 99ft (30m) fibre-glass boat had two diesel engines powered up and ready to go.

The sub would have taken up to eight months to build and cost around £1.7m, he said.

The sub in Colombia was found in a rural Cauca province on the Timgiqui River about 440km southwest of Bogota.

Air-conditioned interior

Hurtado said the sub was empty when soldiers found it and no one was arrested. The 30-metre-long fibreglass boat has room for a crew of six and is powered by two diesel engines and has an air-conditioned interior, Hurtado said. He said it can submerge up to three metres deep and is equipped with a five-metre periscope.

The sub would have taken about eight months to build

Source

 

[jesterT]

Drug smuggling is so rampant today. These smugglers involved will try anything just to be able to continue on with their dirty work. The Colombian military has foiled a group of smugglers in South America by discovering a cocaine-filled drug smuggling submarine before it left on its quest. Drug submersibles have been used for years, but they're getting more sophisticated. Sonar can't get these ships very easily.

 

[sandeepdg]

Holy cow, a submarine to smuggle drugs ! The drug cartels sure come up out of the box solutions for their business needs. using slingshots, to throw contraband packages across US-Mexican border being the other one, as well as the tunnels they operate.