Coast Guard hunts drug-running semi-subs

Quote :

"WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sophisticated submarine-like boats are the latest tool drug runners are using to bring cocaine north from Colombia, U.S. officials say. Although the vessels were once viewed as a quirky sideshow in the drug war, they are becoming faster, more seaworthy, and capable of carrying bigger loads of drugs than earlier models, according to those charged with catching them. 'They tend to be one of a kind,' U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen said. 'They cost up to a million dollars to produce. Sometimes they are put together in pieces and then reassembled in other locations. They're very difficult to locate.' The boats are built in the Colombian jungle. They sail largely beneath the surface of the water but cannot submerge completely like a true submarine. But they are the latest escalation of a tactical race between smugglers and the U.S. Coast Guard. In the past three months the Coast Guard has learned of more semi-submersible vessels smuggling drugs than it did in the previous six years, when there were 23 cases, officials said."

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/03/20/drug.subs/

http://www.insideedition.com/videos.aspx?videoID=136



I think this story is particularly interesting because of all the implications these "subs" present: illegal drug issues, immigration issues, border and port security issues, national security issues. Imagine if--instead of hauling, say, tons of cocaine--one or more of these vessels brings in a WMD!

Scary. I just hope the Navy and the Coast Guard are on top of the situation.

5/19/2008 4:19:22 PM

Colombians actually came close to buying a Soviet diesel sub in the early 90s after the wall came down. They were all set to pay $100 million for it before the feds shut it down.

5/19/2008 4:28:32 PM

Quote :

"Colombians actually came close to buying a Soviet diesel sub in the early 90s after the wall came down. They were all set to pay $100 million for it before the feds shut it down. "

I saw that the other day on TV. Kinda scary what all they could get ahold of.

If I remember correctly, when he inquired about buying the sub they asked, "with our without missles."..

[Edited on May 19, 2008 at 4:30 PM. Reason : .]

5/19/2008 4:29:56 PM

Quote :

"I think this story is particularly interesting because of all the implications these "subs" present: illegal drug issues, immigration issues, border and port security issues, national security issues. Imagine if--instead of hauling, say, tons of cocaine--one or more of these vessels brings in a WMD! Scary. I just hope the Navy and the Coast Guard are on top of the situation."

I don't see how that's any bigger of an issue than traditional boats...a certain percentage of the speed boats still make it in undetected.

just another example of how the "war against drugs" as its currently being handled will never work.

5/19/2008 4:32:34 PM

trying to stop a product with that kind of profit margin is laughable

5/19/2008 4:33:58 PM

Quote :

"If I remember correctly, when he inquired about buying the sub they asked, "with our without missles.".. "

That's the one.

5/19/2008 4:34:54 PM

^^^ Did you even bother to read the report? Of course you didn't.

1. Drug subs are difficult to locate.

2. They can be towed behind another vessel and cut loose quickly.

3. They can be scuttled quickly.

4. Some may be operated remotely.

5. Coast Guard snipers can't shoot out the engines--they're submerged. Difficult to slow down.

6. They can carry about 12 metric tons and their speed has increased to 12 knots, which is "a pretty good speed on the ocean."

^^ Look, I have a number of issues with the "War on Drugs," but by your logic, the authorities should give up on trying to stop, say, murder, rape, and robbery, too.

5/19/2008 5:33:00 PM

anybody remember that movie No Escape with Ray Liotta where they would send prisoners to this one island? reminds me of the boat they made to try and escape

5/19/2008 5:35:48 PM

Murder, rape, and robbery all involve real victims.

Technically, there are no victims of drugs.

And since when is there a profit margin on rape?

5/19/2008 5:40:34 PM

^ Look, I want the government out of my life, too. But saying illegal drug use is a "victimless crime" is just retarded. And there certainly is some sort of payoff in rape or rapists wouldn't do it.

Did you think the thread title read "Chug Subs"? This thread isn't about sandwiches--FYI.

[Edited on May 19, 2008 at 6:00 PM. Reason : .]

5/19/2008 5:59:49 PM

Well, I suppose this gives us an excuse to leverage and purchase more of all that anti-submarine warfare equipment we developed during the Cold War.

5/19/2008 6:19:40 PM

The Germans had U-Boats in WWI and WWII. It really doesn't surprise me that drug dealers would have subs in today's age. If anything, I'd expect them to be far more sophisticated than the ones described in the article.

Quote :

"Allen believes the semi-subs are a response to the Coast Guard's tactic of using snipers in helicopters to shoot out engines on smugglers' speedboats. The submersibles' engines are beneath water level."

That makes very little sense. Once located, the Coast Guard can either track it or destroy it regardless of the engine being a couple of feet below water.

5/19/2008 9:07:24 PM

I don't see why Navy anti-sub warfare folks don't jump on this for real world testing and practice.

5/19/2008 11:09:02 PM

Quote :

"hooksaw: ^ Look, I want the government out of my life, too. But saying illegal drug use is a "victimless crime" is just retarded. And there certainly is some sort of payoff in rape or rapists wouldn't do it. Did you think the thread title read "Chug Subs"? This thread isn't about sandwiches--FYI."

Not a sandwich person, actually. I mean, I enjoy a good sub every now and then. But I'm not interested in chugging them.

I agree that the "victimless crime" bit is stupid, but I can kinda see it to, you know. I mean, list a victim for me, and I can make a good case that they are not a victim of drugs.

5/19/2008 11:29:15 PM

it's funny because it sounds just so effective.

What's next, suborbital trafficking?

5/19/2008 11:36:33 PM

Quote :

"I don't see how that's any bigger of an issue than traditional boats...a certain percentage of the speed boats still make it in undetected."

Quote :

"Did you even bother to read the report? Of course you didn't."

again, how does any of the stuff in the article change the fact that above surface boats routinely get by undetected and:

Quote :

"present: illegal drug issues, immigration issues, border and port security issues, national security issues. Imagine if--instead of hauling, say, tons of cocaine--one or more of these vessels brings in a WMD!"

5/19/2008 11:55:24 PM

any organization that regularly runs truckloads of drugs into the US could get a WMD in.

They are not very big.

5/20/2008 9:30:14 AM

They are, however, very difficult to procure, which is why a terrorist group wouldn't want to use a conventional method like a speedboat or dune-buggy border crossing that features high risks.

If methods like a semi-sub have a very high success rate, our border defenses become even less of a deterrant to criminals and terrorists.

[Edited on May 20, 2008 at 9:43 AM. Reason : 2]

5/20/2008 9:41:33 AM

yeah, a WMD would be like your king in a chess game.

you're not going to risk seizure by running a sketchy route in a speedboat manned with Mexicans that has only a "probable" chance of success, even if it might have worked for drug smuggling just fine.

you'd break out the best your group has. but nevertheless, you could do it.

5/20/2008 9:59:52 AM

5/20/2008 10:57:48 AM

^ LOL! That needs a theme song:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0eYM9wHLHeM

5/20/2008 11:21:47 AM