Eighteen members of an organization that builds submarines for narco-traffickers, including five former and current Colombian Navy sailors, were arrested in a nationwide sweep, newspaper El Espectador reported Wednesday.
Included in the arrest were four retired members of the Navy as well as one current sub-officer who are accused of providing expertise to the organization.
Authorities believe the organization builds and maintains submersible vessels that transport illegal drugs from Colombia’s Pacific Coast to Central and North America.
The 18 members were arrested in nine different cities and municipalities around the country, including Bogota, Cali, and the Pacific port city of Buenaventura.
Their extradition requests are currently being processed by the Prosecutor General’s Office.