Global drugs raid yields 225 tons of cocaine: Colombia

BOGOTA

Authorities from dozens of countries seized 225 tons of cocaine in a six-week mega-operation worldwide, and unearthed a new trafficking route to Australia, the Colombian Navy said on Nov. 27.

The latest phase of operation "Orion" resulted in the seizure of 1,400 tons of drugs, including 225 tons of cocaine and 128 tons of marijuana, navy official Orlando Enrique Grisales told reporters.

More than 400 people were arrested in the crackdown in October and November that involved the security agencies of the United States, Brazil, Spain, the Netherlands and several other nations.

Grisales said officials also seized a semisubmersible vessel on its way to Australia with Colombian cocaine, revealing a "new route" of trafficking with sophisticated boats that can cover the distance of some 10,000 miles without needing to refuel.

A kilogram of cocaine is sold for up to $240,000 in Australia, said the official, about six times more than the price in the United States.

The operation also uncovered previously-unknown alliances between cartels from Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru with groups from Europe and Oceania.

"It is not just a pyramid structure as the cartels once were. Today they are organized crime networks joined together," said Grisales.

Colombia is the world's biggest cocaine producer and exporter, mainly to the United States and Europe.

Last year, the South American country set a new record for cocaine production and cultivation of the coca leaf it is made from.