25-Member Armed Gang Hides Nearly 1 Ton Of Cocaine In Hapag-Lloyd Boxship

The Ecuadorian navy has intercepted about one ton of cocaine from the container ship Guayaquil Express off the coast of Manta.

The vessel operated by Hapag Lloyd was en route from the Posorja terminal to the Panama Canal when naval forces boarded and conducted an inspection.

Per reports, the navy received a tip-off about possible drug smuggling on the vessel. Upon inspection, authorities found nearly 1,745 blocks of controlled substances divided into 20 packages weighing about 40 kg each.

The drugs were later transferred to the port of Manta for further legal procedures and investigation.

Naval forces stated that a 25-member armed gang approached the vessel in speedboats under the cover of darkness. The gang boarded the ship while it was 45 nautical miles (83 km) offshore and planted the illegal cargo before fleeing.

The Ecuadorian navy responded swiftly to the alert, dispatching Coast Guard and Marine Corps units to carry out an interdiction operation while the vessel was still at sea.

The navy says that this operation reflects their commitment to combat drug trafficking and ensure maritime security. No arrests have been reported in connection with the case so far.

The Guayaquil Express, a post-Panamax containership with a capacity of 11,500 TEU, was built in 2017. As of Monday (February 17), it was continuing its journey. AIS tracking data shows that the vessel was heading towards Balboa, the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal.

Ecuador has become a key transit hub for cocaine smuggling from Colombia and Peru, with traffickers historically exploiting the banana trade through Guayaquil. Smugglers are increasingly targeting container ships and bulk carriers at various ports along the coastline.

Photos of the seized contraband were released by authorities on its social media pages.

Reference: Ecuador Navy

Source: Maritime Shipping News