Mexican Navy Seizes Nearly 8 Tons of Cocaine in Massive Pacific Raid

(KARAH RUCKER)

TWO DRAMATIC OPERATIONS RECENTLY TOOK PLACE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN AS THE MEXICAN NAVY PUSHED SPEEDBOATS CARRYING HUGE ILLEGAL CARGOES — A REMINDER OF THE ONGOING BATTLE BETWEEN AUTHORITIES AND DRUG CARTELS OVER MAJOR SMUGGLING ROUTES.

VIDEO SHOWS HELICOPTERS AND PATROL BOATS RACING BEHIND SPEEDBOATS CARRYING DRUGS. PHOTOS SHOW THE HUGE CHEST OF WRAPPED PACKAGES OF COCAINE. THESE ATTACKS ARE PART OF MEXICO’S ONGOING EFFORTS TO DISRUPTING DRUG CARTELS, PARTICULARLY IN COASTAL AREAS THAT SERVE AS MAJOR SMUGGLING ROUTES FROM SOUTH AMERICA.

DURING THE FIRST OPERATION AT MANZANILLO — NAVY OFFICERS INTERCEPTED THREE SPEEDBOATS — AND SEIZED MORE THAN 12,000 POUNDS OF COCAINE — THE LARGEST DRUG RAID UNDER MEXICO’S CURRENT ADMINISTRATION. THEY ALSO ARRESTED 15 SUSPECTS.

DURING THE SECOND OPERATION AT LAZARO CARDENAS — MARINE TEAMS COLLECTED 32 PACKAGES OF COCAINE — WEIGHING APPROXIMATELY 35 HUNDRED POUNDS — FLOATING IN THE WATER. LAZARO CARDENAS IS A REGION OFTEN HIT BY CARTEL VIOLENCE DUE TO ITS STRATEGIC LOCATION ALONG MAJOR SMUGGLING ROUTES.

JUST DAYS BEFORE THE RAID — SEVEN COMMUNITY POLICE OFFICERS WERE KILLED IN A CARTEL-LINKED ATTACK AS RIVAL GROUPS FIGHT FOR CONTROL OF THE COASTLINE.

THESE OPERATIONS COME MORE THAN A YEAR AFTER MEXICAN AUTHORITIES INTERCEPTED A “NARCO-SUBMARINE” CARRYING MORE THAN 7,000 POUNDS OF COCAINE. MEXICO REMAINS A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE GLOBAL DRUG TRAFFICKING — AND SERVES AS A MAJOR TRANSIT POINT FOR COCAINE — MOST OF WHICH IS PRODUCED IN COLOMBIA.

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