Unusually Large Narco Submarine Found - Possibly Transatlantic

Venezuelan government forces have captured an unusual narco submarine (See video on Twitter). The large twin-motor vessel was under construction in the jungle. The artisan boat yard was on the banks of the Rio Brava in Zulia in west of the country. This area is close to the Colombian border and is known as a staging ground for smugglers. Normally however it is used by aircraft. Finding a narco submarine there is extremely unusual.

The vessel is very large, of a generally typical low-profile vessel configuration with inboard motors. It would be twin motor however, which marks it out. It is reported to be 30 meters (~90 feet) long and 3m (9 ft) wide. It's height is 2.5m (8 ft) but most of that will be below the waterline.

The river it was found on flows into Lake Maracaibo before reaching the sea. To get to the sea the narco submarine would need to pass under a major road bridge (Puente General Rafael Urdaneta) at Maracaibo.

The immediate inference is that this vessel was intended to operate in the Caribbean. However its size, twin motors and construction site open up the possibility that this is actually another transatlantic craft. Such vessels are now very rare in the Caribbean.

The vessel was destroyed

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