Mexican Maritime Authorities Achieve Record Drug Seizures

News

The Mexican Navy has announced that it seized more than 45 tonnes of cocaine and methamphetamine in Mexican marine areas, national ports, Mexico City's International Airport, and in states with significant cocaine and methamphetamine production in clandestine laboratories over the past two weeks.

September 15th, 2023

The record amount of drugs was discovered in hangars, sacks of cattle feed, cylinders, and suitcases.

In August, maritime authorities at a port in Michoacan discovered 500 sacks marked as cattle feed but containing approximately 20,000 kilograms of material that contained cocaine. The ship had arrived from Buenaventura, Colombia.

By the end of the month, six cylinders containing 787 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine were seized at a port in Colima. The shipment was headed to Hong Kong in a container carrying polishing machinery.

In early September, around 20,000 kilograms of presumed methamphetamine were seized at a port in Veracruz, also in a container with cattle feed, on a ship bound for Rotterdam, the Netherlands. A few days later, an additional 204 kilograms of the synthetic drug were found in the same port, in a container carrying hooks for crane counterweights.

On Monday, another 18 kilograms were seized at Mexico City's International Airport. The drugs were transported in suitcases and were destined for Spain. On the same day, 24 suspects were captured 200 nautical miles from a port in Michoacán, carrying approximately 2,210 kilograms of apparent cocaine. In this operation, authorities also confiscated a semi-submersible, seven boats, 12 outboard motors, and approximately 3,000 liters of fuel.

Furthermore, two clandestine laboratories used to produce synthetic drugs were destroyed in Culiacán, Sinaloa, resulting in a loss of US$12 million to organized crime. These laboratories contained 3,800 kilograms of apparent methamphetamine and 2,500 kilograms of precursor chemicals, among other elements used in drug production.

"The Secretary of the Navy, in collaboration with the Mexican Army and authorities at all levels of government, is contributing to weakening the drug distribution networks of criminal groups operating in our country. This significantly impacts their financial and operational structures, contributing to the internal security of the country and reaffirming our commitment to the safety of Mexican families," stated the Navy.