Colombian Navy Seizes 2 Tonnes Of Cocaine After Intercepting Container Ship In Caribbean

The Colombian Navy has seized around two tonnes of cocaine after intercepting a CMA CGM container ship in the Caribbean Sea, stopping the drugs from reaching European markets.

The 6,500 TEU container vessel CMA CGM Voltaire left the port of Cartagena, Colombia, at about 1600 GMT on the 25th on a scheduled voyage to Algeciras, Spain.

The ship operates on CMA CGM’s Mediterranean-Caribbean service, which connects Caribbean ports with destinations across the Mediterranean, including Malta, before returning across the Atlantic.

Colombian authorities said the vessel was tracked after intelligence suggested illegal cargo was on board.

Naval forces monitored the ship during the early hours of its voyage and intercepted it northeast of Barranquilla.

By 1000 GMT on the 26th, less than 24 hours after departure, the ship was escorted to the port of Santa Marta for inspection.

During the inspection, authorities found more than 80 bundles of cocaine bricks hidden inside cargo containers. The total weight of the seized drugs was estimated at about two tonnes.

The Colombian Navy stated that this was the largest cocaine seizure recorded so far this year in the Colombian Caribbean.

Images released by the Navy showed the drugs concealed inside containers, a method commonly used for large-scale drug smuggling.

Incautamos cerca de 2 toneladas de cocaína a bordo de un buque mercante con destino a Algeciras, España, a más de 60 millas náuticas al norte de Santa Marta.
Esta es la mayor incautación registrada en los primeros días del año en el Caribe colombiano, gracias a una operación… pic.twitter.com/YvYjMTHeyq

— Armada de Colombia (@ArmadaColombia) January 27, 2026

Colombia’s defence minister later said the seizure helped protect maritime security, legal trade and Colombia’s international image, while preventing more than two tonnes of cocaine from entering Europe.

In a separate statement on social media, the Colombian Navy confirmed that the interception took place more than 60 nautical miles north of Santa Marta.

The Navy said the operation was carried out jointly with the Colombian Air Force, with support from naval intelligence.

Maior apreensão de sempre de cocaína em Portugal: em mais uma mostra de estreita colaboração, as autoridades da Drug Enforcement Administration dos Estados Unidos da América apoiaram a @PJudiciaria na localização e interceção de um semi-submersível em alto mar, ao largo dos… pic.twitter.com/yHDIRjhP8s

— U.S. Embassy Lisbon (@USEmbPortugal) January 26, 2026

The seizure follows another major drug bust linked to Colombian authorities earlier this year, when nine tonnes of cocaine were seized from a large semisubmersible vessel off the coast of the Azores.

That operation involved agencies from Colombia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Portugal and was described as the largest drug seizure in Portuguese history.

Reference: Armada de Colombia