Drug traffickers use Salamanca and Tayrona National Parks to hide tons of cocaine destined for the U.S., Colombian authorities announced Wednesday.
The national parks are “strategic corredors” where the drugs are hid until they trasnsported in speed boats to Nicaragua and Honduras, El Espectador reported Thursday.
Dijin, the National Police Agency discovered the details of the operation after they arrested trafficker Arturo Acosta Ariza and 15 people related to his organization. Police believe Acosta Ariza’s gang was working closely with drug trafficking gang Los Paisas.
Investigators learned that Acosta Ariza was camouflaging containers of drugs and hiding them in the mangroves and on the beaches of the national parks before taking them out into open sea. Salamanca covers an area of 21 thousand hectares and Tayrona 15 thousand hectares.
All of the drugs seized belonged to Acosta Ariza, according to investigators, who are investigating if any other national parks are being used as transit points to traffick drugs out of Colombia.
The 16 people arrest will be charged with drug trafficking.