Mexico And El Salvador Make Big Cocaine Seizures At Sea As U.s. Continues Lethal Strikes

MEXICO CITY — The navies of El Salvador and Mexico announced supplier seizures successful nan Pacific Ocean this week of much than 10 tonnes of cocaine, successful opposition to deadly strikes by nan U.S. authorities that conscionable this week near 11 group dormant connected 3 boats suspected of carrying narcotics successful Latin American waters.

The latest announcement came Thursday, erstwhile Mexico said it had seized astir 4 tonnes of suspected narcotics and detained 3 group from a semisubmersible craft, 250 nautical miles southbound of nan larboard of Manzanillo.

Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said via X that nan seizure from nan sleek, low-riding vessel pinch 3 visible motors brought nan play full to astir 10 tonnes, but he did not supply item connected nan different seizures.

Mexican authorities said nan seizure was made pinch intelligence shared by U.S. Northern Command and nan U.S. Joint Interagency Task Force South.

On Sunday, El Salvador’s navy announced nan largest supplier seizure successful nan country’s history of 6.6 tonnes of cocaine. The navy had intercepted a 180-foot vessel registered to Tanzania, 380 miles southwest of nan coast. Navy divers recovered 330 packages of cocaine hidden successful nan boat’s ballast tanks. Ten men were arrested from Colombia, Nicaragua, Panama and Ecuador.

On Thursday, Salvadoran authorities gave entree to nan seized vessel FMS Eagle, which had conscionable arrived successful nan larboard of La Union. More than 200 wrapped bundles were lined up connected nan deck.

The Trump management has pressured Mexico to make much supplier seizures complete nan past year. The trafficking of narcotics for illustration fentanyl was nan president’s justification for tariffs connected Mexican imports.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has responded pinch a much fierce stance toward supplier cartels than her predecessor, that has included sending dozens of supplier trafficking prisoners to nan United States for prosecution.

Sheinbaum has besides expressed her disagreement pinch strikes by nan U.S. subject successful nan Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean against boats suspected of carrying drugs.

At slightest 145 group person been killed successful those strikes since nan U.S. authorities began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” past September.

The U.S. strikes this week included 2 vessels carrying 4 group each successful nan eastbound Pacific Ocean and different vessel successful nan Caribbean carrying 3 people. The management provided images of nan boats being destroyed, but not grounds they were carrying drugs.