A near-record number of narco submarines were intercepted crossing the Atlantic and Pacific in 2024, with drug-laden vessels appearing in new areas as traffickers increasingly use this discreet shipping method to get cocaine to international markets.

Narco subs have been around for decades, primarily used to ferry cocaine with Latin America, these hard-to-detect boats are growing in number, reach, and sophistication. InSight Crime reviewed hundreds of cases of semi-submersible vessels intercepted by authorities across the world to determine what the rising use of narco submarines tells us about drug trafficking routes and criminal dynamics.

Under the Radar: What Hundreds of Narco Sub Seizures Tell Us About Global Cocaine Routes | Written by Sam Woolston and Henry Shuldiner, and read by Henry Shuldiner.

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