The U.S. Coast Guard Feb. 18 captured a surface-skimming submarine called “Big Foot” off the coast of the Florida Keys. According to this Pentagon video report, the sub was carrying four tons of cocaine and had unidentified “new technology” that allowed it to elude drug enforcement radar and sonar.
The Pentagon Channel news reader calls the sub “one-of-a-kind.” Judging by a number of recent news reports, however, the clean-cut former drug smuggler quoted in the video appears to be more on target when he says that subs are “in vogue” for the international drug smuggling crowd.
Back in August 2006, for example, the BBC reported that a cocaine smuggling submarine was found floating off the coast of Galacia in Spain.
Then, in November 2006, another coke-smuggling sub — this one carrying a mere three tons of the stuff — was recovered by Costa Rican authorities.
In August of last year, the U.S. Coast Guard, customs and border protection officials intercepted another smuggling submarine (pictured below) in the eastern Pacific that was carrying $352 million worth of cocaine.
Finally, in December, ABC News, citing U.S. officials, reported that “drug smugglers are using a fleet of as many as 20 mini subs to move huge quantities of cocaine through the Caribbean.”