Authorities in Guyana have seized a semi-submersible vessel used in drug trafficking in one of the country’s jungles, Interpol said. The seizure was part of a broader operation to tackle drug trafficking and theft in more than two dozen countries, the law enforcement agency said.
Interpol said the homemade “narco submarine” The boat intercepted in Guyana could carry as much as 3 tons of cocaine at a time. The boat warned that smugglers in the region could send such semi-submarines down the rivers of South America, across the Atlantic Ocean and eventually arrive in Western Europe.
The “narco sub” was seized along with 615 tons of illegal drugs and 505 tons of precursor chemicals worth $1.6 billion, as well as 65 stolen cars, in 31 different countries, Interpol said. The international law enforcement agency coordinated the effort, dubbed Operation Lionfish Hurricane, between April and May in a bid to crack down on drug trafficking networks in South America, Africa and Europe.
According to Interpol, their operation led to 206 arrests. Authorities seized more than 56 tons of cocaine and 52 tons of other drugs, including marijuana, ketamine and tramadol, a prescription opioid that is strictly regulated in several countries due to its high potential for abuse and dependence. The United Nations has noted a sharp increase in the trafficking of tramadol in various parts of the world over the past decade.
Interpol
Precursor chemicals can be used to make explosives in addition to drugs. In a statement, Interpol said the sheer quantity seized during the operation was unprecedented and “highlights the significant growth of transnational organized crime groups and their ability to manufacture weapons.”
“The value of the drugs seized during this two-month operation is greater than the GDP of some countries, clearly demonstrating the scale of the problem facing law enforcement,” Interpol Secretary General Juergen Stock said in a statement. “Organized crime networks continue to expand their reach and the devastating impact of their activities. We will, and must, join forces to combat this national security threat that threatens every country.”
“Narco subs” are semi-submersible vessels primarily associated with drug cartels in Central or South America that operate internationally. Earlier this summer, the Colombian Navy said it had seized two of the vehicles off the country’s Pacific coast, carrying nearly 5 tons of cocaine en route to Central America. Colombian authorities said at the time that agents had seized 13 of the subs so far in 2024, after intercepting 20 of the semi-submersibles in 2023. Last year’s seizures of narco subs included 30 tons of cocaine and more than 5 tons of marijuana, authorities said.
