Photo: US Customs
A mini-submarine (pictured) carrying more than $200 million worth of cocaine was intercepted by authorities in Texas
Texas authorities were able to intercept mini-submarine carrying cocaine
The sub, used by drug traffickers, was carrying 5.5 tons of cocaine to US
Agents arrested four people and seized $200million worth of cocaine
Authorities said the mini-sub originated in the 'Eastern Pacific Ocean'
A mini-submarine carrying more than $200 million worth of cocaine was intercepted by authorities in Texas.
Authorities said they intercepted the semi-submersible vessel attempting to bring 12,800 pounds or 5.5 tons of cocaine into the US.
The cocaine was on a mini-sub called a narco-submarine, vessels made of fiberglass that are extremely hard to detect using radar and are commonly used by drug traffickers.
Photo: US Customs
Authorities (pictured near the mini-sub) said they intercepted the semi-submersible vessel attempting to bring 12,800 pounds or 5.5 tons of cocaine into the US
Photo: US Customs
The crew (pictured on top of the sub) operating the vessel attempted to flee as officials approached them. Agents arrested four people and seized the cocaine
Because much of its structure is made of fiberglass and it travels mainly below the water surface, it is virtually impossible to detect via sonar or radar.
A team of U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents based in Corpus Christi, Texas, detected the self-propelled vessel earlier this month while conducting counter narcotics operations using a P-3 Long Range Tracker, according to their website.
In the video, the crew operating the vessel attempted to flee as officials approached them.
Agents arrested four people and seized the cocaine.
Moments later, the sub, which officials said originated in the 'Eastern Pacific Ocean', became unstable and sank.
The task force coordinated an interdiction of the semi-submersible with a U.S. Coast Guard vessel in the area while an Air and Marines Operations crew maintained constant visual surveillance.
The semi-submersible became unstable and sank.
'This type of cooperation and teamwork produces these kinds of results where suspects are arrested and narcotics prevented from reaching U.S. shores,' said Director John Wassong at the National Air Security Operations Center - Corpus Christi.
'Our crews will continue to take every opportunity to disrupt this type of transnational criminal activity.'
Photo: US Customs
Moments later, the sub, which officials said originated in the 'Eastern Pacific Ocean', became unstable and sank
Photo: US Coast Guard
Authorities said the submarine used is one that is common among drug traffickers. Pictured a narco-submarine moments before interception by the U.S. Coast Guard in August 2007 (file image)
Photo: US Coast Guard
In the 2015 fiscal year, US Customs and Border Protection aircrews contributed to seizure of 213,000 pounds of cocaine. Pictured is the US Coast Guard detaining personnel aboard a self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) captured in the Eastern Pacific off the coast of Central America in 2009 (file image)
In the 2015 fiscal year, US Customs and Border Protection aircrews contributed to 198 seizure, disruption, or interdiction events in the transit zone, resulting in the interdiction of 213,000 pounds of cocaine in the 42-million-square-mile area they patrol.
The Coast Guard caught a similar vessel carrying 12,000 pounds of cocaine off the coast of Central America in August and have previously intercepted almost 43,000 pounds at once, according to ABC News.
The latest incident comes a few days after a Jet Blue flight attendant abandoned 70 pounds of cocaine at airport security when she was selected for a random check in the known crewmember line.
Marsha Gay Reynolds, a former Jamaican beauty queen and college track athlete, turned herself in Wednesday to face a federal drug charge.
Authorities said they found 70 pounds of cocaine in her luggage at LAX on March 18 after she was flagged for a random security screening, flung off her high heels and bolted barefoot down an upward-moving escalator.
Reynolds' spokesman Allan Jennings, representing her family and her defense lawyer, said: 'She may not have been fully aware of what was in the bags.'
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