President Gustavo Petro of Colombia boasted about the successful seizure of 17 tons of cocaine from waters off Mexico, El Salvador, and French Polynesia, labeling it as a historic achievement in the fight against illegal drug trafficking. Petro announced this on social media, emphasizing that this event marked the highest amount of cocaine confiscated in a single day, highlighting the collaborative effort of multiple nations.

According to President Petro, the cocaine was recovered during three distinct maritime interdiction operations conducted between February 1 and 15, involving police forces from Colombia, Mexico, El Salvador, and France. The first operation resulted in the confiscation of over 6 tons of cocaine and the arrest of three Mexican nationals. The second operation recovered more than 4 tons but did not lead to any arrests, while the third operation netted nearly 6.6 tons of cocaine along with four Colombians, three Nicaraguans, two Panamanians, and one Ecuadorian being taken into custody.

The collective effort underlines the increasing cooperation between Latin American countries and France in combating drug trafficking at sea, showcasing a significant operational response to prevalent drug-related issues. This accomplishment not only aims to disrupt cocaine distribution networks but also sends a message regarding international collaboration in narcotics control, which could lead to further intelligence-sharing agreements and operational partnerships in the future.