[KARAH RUCKER]
TWO DRAMATIC OPERATIONS UNFOLDED IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN RECENTLY AS MEXICO’S NAVY CHASED DOWN SPEEDBOATS CARRYING A MASSIVE ILLEGAL CARGO — A REMINDER OF THE ONGOING BATTLE BETWEEN AUTHORITIES AND DRUG CARTELS OVER KEY SMUGGLING ROUTES.
VIDEO SHOWS HELICOPTERS AND PATROL BOATS RACING AFTER SPEEDBOATS LOADED WITH DRUGS. IMAGES REVEAL THE MASSIVE HAUL OF WRAPPED PACKAGES OF COCAINE. THESE BUSTS ARE PART OF MEXICO’S ONGOING EFFORTS TO DISRUPT DRUG CARTELS, PARTICULARLY IN COASTAL REGIONS THAT SERVE AS KEY SMUGGLING ROUTES FROM SOUTH AMERICA.
IN THE FIRST OPERATION NEAR MANZANILLO — NAVAL OFFICERS INTERCEPTED THREE SPEEDBOATS — SEIZING OVER 12-THOUSAND POUNDS OF COCAINE — THE LARGEST DRUG BUST UNDER MEXICO’S CURRENT ADMINISTRATION. THEY ALSO ARRESTED 15 SUSPECTS.
IN THE SECOND OPERATION NEAR LAZARO CARDENAS — NAVAL TEAMS RETRIEVED 32 PACKAGES OF COCAINE — WEIGHING ABOUT 35-HUNDRED POUNDS — FLOATING IN THE WATER. LAZARO CARDENAS IS A REGION OFTEN HIT BY CARTEL VIOLENCE DUE TO ITS STRATEGIC LOCATION ALONG KEY SMUGGLING ROUTES.
JUST DAYS BEFORE THE RAID — SEVEN COMMUNITY POLICE OFFICERS WERE KILLED IN A CARTEL-RELATED ATTACK AS RIVAL GROUPS FOUGHT FOR CONTROL OF THE COASTLINE.
THESE OPERATIONS COME MORE THAN A YEAR AFTER MEXICAN AUTHORITIES INTERCEPTED A “NARCO SUB” CARRYING MORE THAN 7-THOUSAND POUNDS OF COCAINE. MEXICO REMAINS A KEY PLAYER IN THE GLOBAL DRUG TRADE — SERVING AS A MAJOR TRANSIT POINT FOR COCAINE — MOST OF WHICH IS PRODUCED IN COLOMBIA.
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