Blow to drug trafficking: Honduras seizes more than 1.5 tons of cocaine in 48 hours
Honduran security forces have dealt a heavy blow to organized crime after locating a shipment of more than 900 kilos of cocaine hidden in a mangrove area in the south of the country. This discovery adds to the seizure of another 648 kilos made recently, accumulating a total of more than 1.5 tons of narcotics confiscated in less than two days.
Edgardo Barahona, spokesperson for the Secretariat of Security, reported that authorities are maintaining tracking operations in the area, so it is not ruled out that the total amount of seized drugs could increase in the coming hours.
Details of the operation in the south of the country
The second shipment, consisting of 37 bales, was found hidden among the vegetation of a mangrove swamp located in the border region between the departments of Choluteca and Valle. According to preliminary investigations, the drugs had been transported by speedboats before being abandoned at the site.
Agents of the National Anti-Drug Police Directorate and Special Forces managed to detect the packages by taking advantage of the low tide, intensifying search efforts after the first significant discovery.
Regarding the first shipment of 648 kilos, authorities estimated its black market value to be around 175 million lempiras, equivalent to approximately 6.5 million dollars.
Ongoing research
The National Police, in coordination with the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Organized Crime, is currently working on identifying the criminal structure behind this drug trafficking. So far, authorities have confirmed that no arrests have been made, although investigations into the origin and destination of the shipment remain active.
Honduras remains a critical point on the international drug trafficking route, frequently used by criminal organizations for the transit of illicit substances from South America destined for the United States.
With these operations, the country reaches record figures in seizures this year, consolidating an economic impact of over 500 million lempiras for the drug trafficking networks operating in the region.
