2024-08-17 09:24:39
President Nayib Bukele reported on his social media that the National Navy has seized, in less than three weeks, hundreds of kilos of drugs valued at millions of dollars on three vessels. In addition to the drugs, a significant shipment of war weapons was confiscated that was headed from Mexico to Ecuador.
According to the president, these seizures set a record, as they represent the greatest distance in a seizure operation: 1,004 nautical miles (1,859 km) from the Salvadoran coast.
“In the last 90 days, our National Navy has seized 9.3 tons of cocaine on the high seas, valued at 233 million dollars. On this occasion, in addition, a large quantity of war weapons that were traveling from Mexico to Ecuador were confiscated,” the president said on X (previously Twitter).
The president also said that two crew members were on board the Ecuadorian vessels who were transferring 600 kg of cocaine to a Mexican boat. The Mexican vessel was carrying the following heavy weapons: 12 AR-15 carbines, 20 AK-47 rifles, 1 M60 machine gun, 1 Barrett .50 sniper rifle, as well as magazines and ammunition.
