The first joint anti-drug operation between Colombia and the United States, following last week’s meeting in Washington between Presidents Petro and Trump, resulted — beyond the restoration of bilateral cooperation against transnational crime — in the seizure of 10 tons of cocaine destined for international markets.
Authorities from both countries said the operation was one of the largest in recent years due to its scope, complexity, and results, as a cocaine-laden submarine was seized in international waters. Both Colombia and the United States also agreed that it sends a strong message to criminal networks operating in the Caribbean and the Pacific.
The operation followed months of joint intelligence work, real-time information sharing, and operational coordination among naval and air forces and agencies specializing in the fight against drug trafficking. According to official sources, the drugs were intercepted along strategic maritime routes used by criminal organizations to evade controls and supply mainly the United States and Europe.
Colombia–US joint drug bust seizes 10 tons of cocaine
The operation was carried out in international waters and key transit zones, where authorities detected suspicious movements associated with the transport of large drug shipments.
Thanks to intelligence cross-checking and the use of surveillance technology, it was possible to identify the vessels used by drug trafficking networks and carry out the interdiction without leaving room for escape.
The 10 tons of cocaine seized represent a significant blow to the finances of the criminal organizations involved. According to official estimates, the shipment would have been worth millions in destination markets — resources that will now not go toward strengthening illegal structures responsible for violence, corruption, and regional destabilization.
From Washington, U.S. authorities highlighted the effectiveness of the joint work with Colombia and stressed that this result reaffirms the importance of maintaining and deepening security cooperation. The operation, they said, demonstrates that international coordination remains one of the most effective tools to confront criminal networks that operate without borders.
According to the official statement released on the social network X by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the seized drugs would have an approximate value of US$441 million on the illegal market.
Authorities also said the shipment was destroyed after the four crew members of the submarine were arrested and subsequently handed over to judicial authorities.
With INL support, Colombian security forces executed a joint operation to target this narco-sub. 10 tons of cocaine worth $441M are now destroyed & 4 narco-traffickers arrested. Strong partnerships deliver strong results. 🇺🇸🇨🇴 pic.twitter.com/kWYuaN3Ua9
— US Dept of State INL (@StateINL) February 9, 2026
Colombia underscores an operation without fatalities
One of the aspects most highlighted by the Colombian government was that the operation was carried out without causing a single death. Authorities emphasized that the seizure was achieved through strictly planned procedures, with a proportionate use of force and prioritizing the protection of life, even in a high-risk context.
From Colombia’s Ministry of Defense, it was stressed that this result reflects a change in the way drug trafficking is confronted, combining operational decisiveness with respect for human rights. “It is possible to strike criminal structures hard without this implying human losses,” official spokespersons said, while underscoring the professionalism of the forces involved.
The emphasis on an operation without victims was also read as a political message amid the internal debate over the country’s anti-drug strategy. For the government, the outcome validates an approach that bets on intelligence, international cooperation, and targeted interdiction, rather than indiscriminate actions that in recent months have left high human costs.
This first joint operation comes at a turning point in relations between Colombia and the United States, marked by the meeting of Presidents Petro and Trump in Washington, from which changes in political relations between the two countries are expected, as well as greater cooperation — despite differences — in the fight against drug trafficking.
Official sources noted that the operation sets a precedent for future joint actions, not only in the maritime sphere but also in financial intelligence and the dismantling of logistical networks. The idea, they explained, is to attack the entire drug trafficking chain, from production to money laundering, thereby reducing the adaptability of criminal organizations.