Five Colombian men were captured during two maritime operations carried out by the Navy in Pacific waters, with the loads hidden aboard two boats.[1] The first boarding was of the langostera-type boat Bendecido 100%, carrying three men, which was taken to the Coast Guard facilities in Buenaventura after suspected breaches of maritime rules were detected.[1] The second operation was against a viento y marea-type boat crewed by two Colombian citizens.[1] The five detainees and the seized loads were placed at the disposal of the competent authorities for judicial proceedings.[1]
A specialised inspection supported by an antinarcotics canine found purpose-built compartments in the bench seating, where 500 rectangular packages of illicit substances were hidden.[1] Aboard the second boat officers found 13 bundles containing 359 packages with characteristics similar to those of narcotic substances.[1] Preliminary tests by the National Police confirmed the seized material was 500.5 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride and 353.6 kilograms of marijuana, for a combined total of 854.1 kilograms.[1]
The Navy said the two Pacific interdictions represented an economic impact of more than 26 million dollars on drug-trafficking structures, a combined-drugs estimate not recorded as a cannabis-only value.[1] The Navy said the seizures kept about 1.3 million doses of these combined substances from reaching illegal markets.[1] The operations were carried out by units of the Buenaventura Coast Guard Station.[1]
