Summary
The Colombian navy intercepted a semi-submersible carrying cocaine in the Pacific, uncovering a new smuggling route to Australia.
The vessel, capable of traveling thousands of miles without refueling, was part of a lucrative operation targeting Australia, where cocaine fetches six times the U.S. price.
This was the third such vessel seized, with maps confirming the route.
The operation, part of the multinational “Orion” initiative, seized 225 tonnes of cocaine and arrested over 400 people globally.
Colombian authorities highlighted links between South American and Oceanian crime networks.
If the cartels had their cargoes insured for loss we would know exactly what it was worth. But as it is now, the value of drugs is limited only by the imagination of the police in charge.
I’ve seen pigs weigh entire marijuana plants, terracotta-pot and all, then multiply that figure by a “street value” that’s 10X what I’ve ever paid for premium bud. I’m convinced that many drug dealers go their start after seeing these inflated values advertised on TV.