One of the incidents in the court case. USCG Image
The 4 Narco Submarine Incidents Behind Florida Court Case
6 Colombian nationals have pled guilty in Tampa, Florida, to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, using so-called narco submarines. The story, released by Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann, has gathered some press attention. Using my database of reported narco submarine incidents, I have identified the ones listed in the press release.
According to the release, the gang was smuggling over 19 metric tons of Cocaine from Colombia to the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico.
The vessels are actually not true submarines, but low-profile vessels (LPVs). In the press release it uses the alternative terminology SPSS (self-propelled semi-submersible). This term is used by the US Coast Guard and partner agencies to describe LPVs with internally mounted engines. In my own Covert Shores taxonomy I use "LPV-IM", meaning internal motor.
1. July 2015 - Narco Submarine Interdicted At Sea By US Coast Guard
USCG Image
On July 19, 2015, the Coast Guard Cutter Stratton stopped a narco-submarine off the coast of Central America. The Coast Guard recovered more than 6.9 metric tons of cocaine from the 12 meter (40-foot) vessel.
In the Covert Shores taxonomy, this specific type of narco submarine is designated LPV-IM-10.
USCG Image
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2. August 2015 - Narco Submarine Interdicted At Sea By US Coast Guard
CLICK to enlarge. USCG photo
On August 31 2015 the US Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf interdicted a low-profile vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. It was carrying 6.845 metric tons of cocaine (7.5 US tons) which was valued at the time as $227 million. In the Covert Shores taxonomy this vessel was also an LPV-IM-10.
3. March 2016 - Narco Submarine Interdicted At Sea By US Coast Guard
On or around March 24, 2016, the US Coast Guard interdicted a narco submarine in the Eastern Pacific. They were watched over by a CBP (Customs & Border Protection) P-3 Long Range Tracker aircraft.
P-3 Long Range Tracker (LRT) aircraft. CBP photo.
The vessel was carrying more than 5.824 metric tons of cocaine, valued at the time as worth more than $193,939,000. No image of the vessel was published, and it sunk after the four crew were arrested.
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4. October 2017 - Narco Submarine Siezed By Colombian Navy
Colombian Navy Image
The forth incident cannot be identified with the same level of confidence. However this one, captured by the Colombian Navy on October 11, 2017, fits. There was another narco-submarine seized in similar circumstances by Colombia in October 2017, but that has outboard motors. So it wouldn't match the 'SPSS' description used in the press release.
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