Quentin Mitchell|Colombian navy finds shipwrecked boat with over 750 kilos of drugs floating nearby

2025-05-08 08:13:28source:GravityX Exchangecategory:Finance

The Quentin MitchellColombian Navy and National Army discovered a shipwrecked boat that was transporting 33 kilograms of cocaine and 744 kilograms of marijuana. 

The drugs were floating in the water near the boat, which was found on the Naya River near the country's coastal Buenaventura district, the navy said in a news release. There were 32 floating packages in total. 

The packages contained "narcotic substances," the navy said. The packages were tested by the Technical Investigation Corps of the Attorney's General's Office in a preliminary test, which found the substances to be cocaine hydrochloride and marijuana.  

The navy said the seizure meant that nearly $6 million was prevented from going to organizations dedicated to drug trafficking, and that the sale of more than 200,000 doses of drugs was prevented. 

The packages containing more than 700 kilograms of drugs. Colombia Ministry of National Defense

Two individuals were also found near the boat. They were both of Costa Rican nationality, the navy said, and stated that they were the owners of the boat. 

The seized materials, two men and boat were brought to the municipal prosecutor's office for prosecution on charges of trafficking, manufacturing and/or possession of narcotics, the navy said. 

The Colombian navy has intercepted dozens of boats transporting illicit substances in recent years. Sometimes, submarines or "narco subs" have attempted to evade detection by traveling underwater. Recently, the navy intercepted what authorities said was a "suspicious" boat carrying $41 million worth of cocaine and traveling to Central America. 

According to the BBC, Colombia produces 60% of the cocaine found in the world. CBS News has previously reported that the United States is the world's largest consumer of Colombian cocaine.  

    In:
  • Marijuana
  • Colombia
  • Cocaine
Kerry Breen

Kerry Breen is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.

Twitter

More:Finance

Recommend

PACCAR recalls over 220,000 trucks for safety system issue: See affected models

PACCAR is recalling over 220,000 of its 2021-2025 Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks.  The commercial tru

Early voting suspended for the day in Richmond after heating system failure releases smoke and fumes

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Early voting was suspended for the day in Richmond on Wednesday after the heati

PGA Tour strikes a $3 billion deal with a sports owners investment group

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — The PGA Tour is getting a $3 billion investment from Strategic Sports Group i