Colombia Seizes 27 Tons of Cocaine in Two Days

Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced on Sunday that the country's Navy seized 27 tons of cocaine in operations over the past two days.

"In two days, the National Navy's intelligence managed to seize 27 tons of cocaine," Petro wrote on his X social media account.

He explained that nine tons were found on several boats traveling two routes. One route was through the Pacific, involving help from Panama, Australia, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. Another 18 tons were seized near the Canary Islands with assistance from European police.

Petro called this "one of the largest seizures in history in just two days, without a single death." He added that "approximately 20 people have been captured." This statement was aimed at the United States, as Petro has criticized U.S. military attacks on suspected drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, which he says have caused over a hundred civilian deaths in recent weeks.

According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, cocaine production in Colombia significantly increased by 53 percent in 2023, reaching 2,644 tons. The area used for growing coca, the plant used to make cocaine, also grew by 10 percent between 2022 and 2023, covering over 252,928 hectares.

Despite efforts by Colombian authorities, most cocaine from Colombia is sent to the United States and Europe. Colombia's Minister of Defense, Pedro Sánchez, recently stated that from January 1 to early September 2025, cocaine seizures went up by 8 percent compared to the same time last year. The number of drug labs destroyed also increased by 21 percent. Furthermore, 3,200 members of criminal groups were arrested or "neutralized," a 17 percent rise.