BOGOTA - Authorities have found a submarine built by drug traffickers to carry up to 10 tonnes of narcotics, at a small port on the Pacific coast, police said Friday.
Secret service (DAS) agents and navy officials saw parts being taken into Narino province's Tumaco port apparently for construction of some kind of maritime vessel, and swooped on the jungle port in the last few hours.
DAS director for Valle province, Eduardo Fernandez, said the discovery concluded a six-month investigation, adding that it would have been ready around Easter, when drug traffickers assumed maritime authorities would have their guards down.
"On the contrary, security in the area has been boosted," Fernandez added.
The submarine was to have been taken out to open waters, thus avoiding navy controls, with drug transshipment on the high seas to high speed boats for transportation to the United States, he said.
It is believed the Northern Valle cartel, which prospered after the Cali cartel lost its footing a decade ago, was responsible for building the submarine.
Police in 2000 found a 30-meter (98-foot) submarine under construction at a factory in Facatativa, to have carried up to 200 tonnes of cocaine. Instructions were found written in Russian.
03/25/2005 20:53 GMT