Drone "narco sub" with Starlink antenna seized for first time
Summary
The Colombian navy seized an unmanned drug-smuggling semisubmersible boat equipped with a Starlink antenna off its Caribbean coast. The vessel, believed to be a test run by the Gulf Clan drug cartel, was empty but capable of carrying 1.5 tons of cocaine.Key Facts
- The Colombian navy announced the first seizure of a drone-operated "narco sub" in South American waters on July 2, 2025.
- The semisubmersible had a Starlink satellite antenna, used for remote control or communication.
- It belonged to the Gulf Clan, Colombia’s largest drug trafficking group, also labeled a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S.
- The vessel was empty and thought to be a trial run for drug smuggling.
- Drug traffickers are increasingly using unmanned, hard-to-detect vessels to carry cocaine, reducing the risk of capturing crews.
- Narco subs have been used for decades and now travel longer distances, including across oceans.
- Similar remote-controlled drug vessels were seized previously, including in Italy and near India.
- Colombia faces rising cocaine production and trafficking, with drug cartels investing in advanced technology for smuggling.
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