SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR — A U.S. Customs and Border Protection aircrew teamed with El Salvadorian law enforcement to seize more than 3,300 pounds of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific after intercepting a suspected drug-smuggling vessel during a coordinated maritime operation.
The interception took place during a routine patrol by a P-3 Long Range Tracker operated by Air and Marine Operations (AMO), a division of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The aircraft crew detected a suspicious “go-fast” vessel and relayed the information to Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-S), prompting a rapid international response.
As El Salvadorian law enforcement vessels approached the target, the smugglers attempted to flee, dumping large quantities of narcotics into the ocean in an effort to evade arrest. The AMO aircrew maintained overhead surveillance, locating the debris field and directing local authorities to the area for recovery.
El Salvadorian authorities detained three individuals aboard the vessel and successfully recovered the discarded drugs. Officials confirmed the seizure of approximately 3,300 pounds of cocaine.
AMO’s P-3 aircraft provide extended-range surveillance, enabling real-time coordination across vast maritime corridors often used by transnational criminal organizations. These missions are a key component in disrupting drug smuggling operations before narcotics reach U.S. shores.
“Air and Marine Operations continues to safeguard the nation’s borders and prevent illicit narcotics from reaching the United States,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in the release.
Key Points
- AMO’s P-3 aircrew detected a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Eastern Pacific during a routine patrol.
- El Salvadorian law enforcement interdicted the vessel, detaining three suspects and seizing 3,300 pounds of cocaine.
- The joint operation was coordinated through Joint Interagency Task Force-South.