A drug subcontinent caught in the Pacific with tons of cocaine was headed to Australia and New Zealand

“We are part of an international network of like-minded law enforcement partners, including New Zealand PoliceBrown said.

Captain Manuel Rodríguez, director of the Colombian Navy’s anti-narcotics unit, said Guardian the Pacific route is a new route that drug traffickers have opened for “narcosubs.” These are semi-submersible stealth ships that are mostly underwater, making them difficult to detect.

“The ship was found in a remote area, nearly 4,800 km off the coast of Colombia, heading to Australia and New Zealand,” Rodríguez said.

The Colombian Navy’s chief of staff of naval operations, Vice Adm. Orlando Enrique Grisales, told reporters this was the third “narcotics submarine” identified along the route.

“The first one was discovered in Colombian waters and thanks to the maps it contained, we identified the route. That’s when we started cooperating with the Australian authorities,” he said.

He added that Operation Orion revealed the close links between South America drug trafficking groups and Oceania.

“These are interconnected organized crime networks,” he said.

New Zealand Customs said it is aware of smuggling routes and has been working closely with overseas partner agencies for many years to protect our borders from drug threats.

The availability of cocaine is increasing in New Zealand

It comes as drug traffickers around the world find new, more sophisticated ways to bring illicit substances to New Zealand shores, lured by our high prices and high profits.

Two major new drug use studies released in early November found significant increases in drug and illicit drug use availability, especially of cocaine.

“Cocaine has historically been difficult to obtain in New Zealand, but in the last two years we have seen its reported use double to 2.4%. We’re concerned that people may not be aware of how addictive it is,” said Sarah Helm, executive director of the Drug Foundation.

Earlier this year, a police spokesman said the prevalence of cocaine was continuing to rise The police are focusing on combating its distribution.

“Police are investigating to dismantle and disrupt the supply of cocaine to New Zealand communities. “Our goal is a balanced approach to the drug market, including cocaine, by attacking organized crime groups, and we see individual drug use primarily as a health problem.”

The spokesman said New Zealand is often a transshipment point and seized cocaine is often destined for other locations.

“Last year, as part of Operation Hydros, New Zealand Police, working with New Zealand Customs Service and the New Zealand Defense Force, recovered 3,348kg of cocaine floating in the ocean. This brings the total wholesale value to more than $580 million.”

Katie Oliver is a multimedia journalist and breaking news reporter based in Christchurch.