Mexican authorities seize 4.4 tons of cocaine, arrest 16 off southern coast

Mexican authorities on Thursday seized approximately 4.4 tons of cocaine from four boats off the coasts of Oaxaca and Chiapas, in one of the largest maritime drug seizures this year. The operation, carried out by the Ministry of the Navy, resulted in the arrest of 16 people.

The Ministry of the Navy said the first operation, off the coast of Oaxaca, led to the seizure of about three tons of cocaine and the arrest of ten individuals. A second operation in the waters of Chiapas resulted in the confiscation of nearly 1.423 tons of cocaine and the arrest of six more suspects.

Mexican Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch stated that these operations prevented millions of doses of drugs from reaching the market and dealt a significant blow to the operational and financial capabilities of criminal organizations. He noted that since the start of the current administration, the Ministry of the Navy has seized more than 80 tons of cocaine in Mexican territorial waters.

In a related development, authorities announced the dismantling of a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Sinaloa state, where about 300 liters of chemicals used in drug production were destroyed. A security operation in Nayarit state also saw an armed confrontation, resulting in one navy personnel injured and one attacker killed.