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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| Ecuador authorities seize 30 meter long drug-smuggling sub |
| 2010-07-04 |
| A fully functional submarine built for the primary purpose of transporting massive amounts of cocaine has been seized by Ecuadorean authorities with the help of U.S. drug enforcement agents. A drug-trafficking organization built the sea-worthy vessel that is now being held near the border of Ecuador and Colombia, and one individual has been taken into custody, authorities said. The investigation into the group and the submarine, which was seized Friday, is ongoing. "This is the first seizure of a clandestinely constructed fully operational submarine built to facilitate trans-oceanic drug trafficking," the Drug Enforcement Administration said in a statement. The vessel utilized twin screws and was diesel electric-powered, the agency said. It was about 30 meters (98 feet) long and nearly 3 meters (nine feet) high from the deck plates to the ceiling. It has a periscope and an air-conditioning system. "Traffickers historically employed slow-moving fishing boats, sail boats, pleasure craft go-fasts," said Jay Bergman, Andean regional director for the agency. "The advent of the narco-submarine presents new detection challenges for maritime interdiction forces. The submarine's nautical range, payload capacity and quantum leap in stealth have raised the stakes for the counter-drug forces and the national security community alike." The submarine was constructed in a "remote jungle environment in an effort to elude law enforcement or military interdiction," the agency said. Acting on intelligence, Ecuadorean authorities were able to seize the vessel for before its maiden voyage, the statement said. |
| Posted by:gorb |
| #5 Lemmee know when they start deliberately sinking them with all hands (and boodle) on board. And announcing it to the media. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2010-07-04 16:41 |
| #4 Also if the sub is limited to 100 feet for the max depth, and it is a one-shot one-way transport, you can make it out of fibreglass. No involved steel construction needed. The things that make subs complicated and difficult to build are torpedo tubes, extended range equipment, and the need to be reusable. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2010-07-04 14:58 |
| #3 This is not the first time a sub for transporting narcotics has been captured : several of them have been captured over the years. However, it appears this one could actually fully submerge for a period of time, which the others could not. As for the little ones, the cartels have a problem with them sinking with all hands onboard. Most narco subs have been semi-submersible, with a conning tower above the water and a snorkel in the tower. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2010-07-04 14:54 |
| #2 Bigger ones are easier to detect than the little one or two-man jobbies, right? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-07-04 09:10 |
| #1 Something is seriously wrong if non-governmental units are able to develop and deploy submarines in pursuit of their illegal goals. |
| Posted by: gromky 2010-07-04 04:54 |