Colombian navy intercepts narco-subs taking new route to Australia

The Colombian navy has successfully intercepted a semi-submersible vessel that was loaded with cocaine in the Pacific Ocean. This operation is part of a larger effort that has led to hundreds of arrests. The navy reported that this vessel had enough fuel to reach Australia, indicating a new route for drug smuggling. Maps found on the vessel suggested that it was indeed headed for Australia. Smuggling cocaine from South America to Australia is particularly profitable, as a kilogram of this illegal drug can sell for as much as $240,000, which is six times the price in the United States, according to Colombian security forces. Officials noted that this was the third semi-submersible vessel they had intercepted in that region of the Pacific, suggesting that drug trafficking gangs are establishing new direct maritime routes to Australia. According to the OECD, Australians are the highest per capita users of cocaine in the world, followed closely by the British. The latest vessel was intercepted approximately 1,200 miles southwest of Clipperton Island, an uninhabited French coral atoll in the Pacific. This wood-and-fiberglass vessel is believed to have departed from the Colombian port of Tumaco, covering thousands of miles before being stopped. Vice-Admiral Orlando Enrique Grisales, the chief of naval operations for the Colombian Navy, stated that the three semi-submersibles they had intercepted were all capable of making the journey from Colombia to Australia without needing to refuel at sea. He explained that the first vessel was discovered in Colombian waters, and the maps it carried helped them identify the route. This discovery prompted them to collaborate with Australian authorities. The semi-submersibles were intercepted as part of a multinational naval operation called 'Orion', during which security forces from various countries seized a total of 225 tonnes of cocaine over a period of six weeks. The operation also resulted in the arrest of more than 400 individuals across several nations. Vice-Admiral Grisales emphasized that 'Orion' had revealed strong connections between drug trafficking organizations in South America and Oceania, stating that these are organized crime networks that are working together. Colombian President Gustavo Petro commended the navy for their successful operation.