January 15, 2026
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Colombia Seizes 2 Tons of Cocaine on Pacific Go‑Fast Boat Amid U.S. Pressure

The Colombian Navy says it intercepted a 'go‑fast' speedboat about 140 nautical miles off Tumaco in the South Pacific, seizing roughly 2,000 kilograms (4,400 pounds) of cocaine and 270 gallons of fuel and arresting three Colombian nationals. Video released by the navy shows armed personnel boarding the boat and ordering the suspects face‑down before offloading stacks of drug bales later displayed onshore; authorities value the shipment at more than $95 million and claim it would have yielded about 4.9 million retail doses. The bust comes as the Trump administration has escalated its own lethal maritime campaign against suspected drug‑running vessels off South America, operations CBS notes have already killed more than 100 people since September and drawn scant public accounting of who was on those boats. Washington has publicly branded Colombia an 'illegal drug leader,' sanctioned President Gustavo Petro and his family, and even removed the country from its list of allies in the drug war, but Petro’s government has touted several large seizures in recent months as evidence it is acting — including a 14‑ton port bust and multiple Pacific interdictions of speedboats and a 'narco sub.' The latest haul underscores how Colombia is trying to show results under intense U.S. pressure even as Trump hints at possible military action and both governments grope toward a reset after a recent 'very positive' call and a White House invitation for Petro.

International Drug Trafficking U.S.–Colombia Relations

📌 Key Facts

  • Colombian Navy interdicted a go‑fast boat about 140 nautical miles from Tumaco in the South Pacific, according to an official social‑media announcement.
  • Roughly 2,000 kg (4,400 pounds) of cocaine and 270 gallons of fuel were seized and three Colombian nationals on board were arrested.
  • Authorities estimate the load was worth more than $95 million and would have produced about 4.9 million consumer doses.
  • The seizure comes as the Trump administration wages a deadly maritime strike campaign on alleged drug boats off South America and has sanctioned Colombian President Gustavo Petro, removed Colombia as a formal 'drug war' ally, and accused Bogotá of failing to curb cocaine output.
  • Despite U.S. attacks and rhetoric, Colombia has announced several recent major busts, including a 14‑ton cocaine seizure at its main Pacific port and multiple interdictions of speedboats and a 'narco sub.'

📊 Relevant Data

Potential cocaine production in Colombia increased by 53% in 2023, reaching 2,664 metric tons, with coca bush cultivation rising by 10% to 253,000 hectares.

Colombia: Potential cocaine production increased by 53 per cent in 2023, according to new UNODC survey — United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Under President Gustavo Petro, Colombia's anti-drugs strategy shifted to focus on attacking leadership and finances of illegal armed groups rather than widespread crop eradication, contributing to record highs in cocaine production due to failed peace deals and reduced enforcement on cultivation.

Why Colombia's Cocaine Production Keeps Setting New Records — OilPrice.com

Nariño department in Colombia accounts for 65% of national cocaine production, with high levels of coca cultivation linked to socioeconomic factors such as poverty and marginality, where the region has a multidimensional poverty index significantly higher than the national average.

Spatial analysis of socioeconomic data and its relationship with illicit crop cultivation in Nariño, Colombia — PLOS ONE

U.S. sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his family, imposed in October 2025, have strained bilateral relations and threatened to reduce U.S. funding to Colombia, which received approximately $230 million in fiscal year 2025 for counternarcotics and other aid.

U.S-Colombia Relations Fracture as Trump Sanctions Petro, Threatens Funding Cuts — University of Miami Inter-American Law Review

Colombian drug trafficking organizations, such as the Gaitanistas, are involved in migrant smuggling and human trafficking in border areas like the Darién Gap, diversifying from cocaine trade and controlling migration routes to the U.S.

Bottleneck of the Americas: Crime and Migration in the Darién Gap — International Crisis Group

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January 15, 2026