Colombian Navy Intercepts Advanced Narcotics Submarine Equipped with Cutting-Edge Technology
Bogotá, July 3, 2025 — The Colombian Navy announced the interception of a remotely controlled semi-submersible submarine in the Caribbean Sea, marking the first such discovery within Colombia’s national waters. The vessel, capable of transporting over 1.5 tons of cocaine, featured sophisticated technology that has made detection and tracking increasingly difficult for maritime security forces.
Discovery and Capabilities of the Narco-Submarine
The small submarine, comparable in length to a speedboat and coated in a uniform gray, was found on April 1 near Tayrona National Park, located on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Unlike typical submarines, this semi-submersible was unmanned and designed for covert narcotics transport over long distances.
Able to travel up to 800 miles, the vessel was equipped with multiple advanced devices that enhance its operational stealth and remote control capabilities. These included two antennas—one external and another protected by fiberglass on the upper deck—and a Starlink modem enabling real-time communication via satellite internet. This connectivity facilitates continuous monitoring and control from remote operators, a significant evolution in drug trafficking logistics.
Additionally, the submarine carried two surveillance cameras: an external camera providing live visual data to navigate and avoid obstacles, and an internal camera to monitor engine and transmission status.
Technological Advances in Illicit Maritime Operations
Juana Cabezas, a researcher at the Institute for Development and Peace Studies (Indepaz), noted the emergence of such technology began around 2017 when Mexican drug cartels, active in Colombia, started employing engineers and technology experts to develop autonomous submersibles. These vessels were designed to traverse the Pacific Ocean, automatically discharge their illicit cargo for transfer to other unmanned submarines, thus minimizing human involvement and risk.
The recent interception is part of a growing global trend. In the first half of 2025, authorities across the Americas have detected at least ten similar technologically advanced vessels. These craft are partially autonomous and engineered to avoid radar detection, posing a significant challenge to counter-narcotics maritime security. The Colombian Navy described this as an evolution in the operational capability of drug trafficking organizations, which are continuously adapting to evade law enforcement through technological innovation.
The Broader Context: Operation Orion
The operation to locate and capture the submarine was conducted under the multinational Orion Naval Campaign. This international initiative involves 127 institutions and 10 multilateral organizations across 62 countries combating drug trafficking and organized crime via coordinated maritime patrols and intelligence sharing.
Since the start of 2025, the Orion campaign has contributed to the seizure of vast quantities of illicit drugs worldwide: approximately 2,326 tons in total, including 327 tons of cocaine (equivalent to over 818 million doses), 211 tons of marijuana, 12 tons of hashish, 118 kilograms of methamphetamines, and 452 kilograms of heroin. Furthermore, large-scale marijuana cultivation sites with around 1,770 tons of plants have been dismantled in Brazil and Paraguay.
Ongoing Challenges and Security Implications
The interception highlights the growing complexity of combating drug trafficking at sea. The use of satellite internet and remote-control technology aboard narco-submarines underscores the sophistication of criminal networks and the need for innovative countermeasures.
The Colombian Navy emphasized that this discovery will inform future strategies for maritime law enforcement and surveillance. Enhancing capabilities to detect and neutralize such high-tech vessels is critical to interdicting illicit drug flows and safeguarding international maritime security.
This is the first reported semi-submersible equipped with such a high level of technology found in Colombia’s territorial waters, signifying an alarming advancement in narcotics shipping methods that requires urgent attention from authorities worldwide.
