Harfuch responds to Bukele's accusations about the cocaine plane: "We reiterate our respect for El Salvador." Harfuch and Bukele Spar Over Cocaine Seizure In Tecoman, Coliman.

 CHAR 

JULY 10, 2025 

THIS INFORMATION WAS POSTED BY INFOBAE 

The Central American president requested that the Secretary of Security correct the information regarding a small plane seized in Colima.

By: Andrés Martínez

Photo: SSPC

The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), Omar García Harfuch, corrected the information that the seized aircraft carrying nearly half a ton of cocaine was located off El Salvador heading toward Mexico and not originating from the Central American country, as he stated on July 8 from the National Palace.

On Wednesday afternoon, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele asked Secretary Harfuch to rectify his July 8 report, stating that an aircraft from the Central American country was seized in Tecomán, Colima.

"In Tecomán, Colima, as a result of surveillance and protection of Mexican airspace, personnel from the National Center for Surveillance and Airspace Protection detected an aircraft from El Salvador carrying 428 kilos of cocaine, and three people were arrested. The value of the drugs is 96 million pesos," Harfuch explained during the "People's Morning Press Conference" conference.

The aircraft landed on a clandestine airstrip in the state of Colima. Photo: Special

However, the Salvadoran president clarified that the aircraft never flew through his airspace.

“On July 3, at 1:00 p.m., Costa Rica reported a suspicious aircraft track northwest of its territory. They activated the regional alert through APAN, a Central American air safety network. According to their own report, the aircraft track entered Costa Rica, briefly disappeared from radar, and then reappeared, heading out into the Pacific,” Bukele wrote on his X account.

Photo: @nayibbukele

He added that his "radars did not record any aerial contact within our airspace."

In his post, the Salvadoran president attached an image showing the plane's route: "very south of El Salvador and Nicaragua, with no proximity to national airspace. The route was also confirmed by JIATFS Key West (USA), which monitors illicit air traffic in the region."

"Their report is clear: the aircraft flew over the Pacific Ocean and never touched Salvadoran territory."

He stated that "El Salvador does not hide criminals or tolerate drug trafficking; we didn't do that before, and we won't do that now. Nor will we allow them to try to involve us in operations that are not our responsibility or ours."

Federal authorities reported that three people were arrested during the operation. Photo: Special

Therefore, he demanded that the "Government of Mexico immediately clarify and correct the statements made by its Secretary, Omar García Harfuch."

Later, the secretary responded to the Central American president and changed the word "originating," mentioned at the July 8 conference, to "altitude" above El Salvador.

"At 1:00 p.m. on July 3, 2025, CENAVi personnel detected a trace of interest 200 km south of San Salvador, El Salvador, as can be seen in the aircraft tracking graph."

Photo: @OHarfuch

He stated that in response to this information, CENAVI ordered aircraft to take off from various Military Air Bases to intercept the clandestine route toward the probable landing sites (Tecomán, Colima).

"Three people were arrested, and 427.65 kilograms of cocaine and the aircraft were seized. Indeed, the detainees are Mexican nationals and are being prosecuted for various crimes."

"We reiterate our respect and appreciation for the people of El Salvador," the Mexican secretary concluded his message.

SOURCE: INFOBAE 

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More than a ton of suspected cocaine seized off the coast of Guerrero

CHAR

JUNE 13, 2025

MILENIO 

VIDEO TRANSLATION 

MALE ANCHOR: Meanwhile, in Guerrero, more than 1,000 kg of suspected cocaine were seized off the state's coast by federal forces and Mexican Navy personnel. Javier Trujillo, you have the details. Tell us, Javier. 

JAVIER TRUJILLO: Hi, look, how are you? I'm informing you that the Mexican Navy reported on this seizure of drugs weighing just over 12,1120 kg. In an operation carried out off the coast of the state of Guerrero, 37 packages containing suspected cocaine were seized. In this operation by federal forces and the navy, this seizure was achieved off the coast of Guerrero. During the operation, Josué, it was carried out through patrols and maritime and air surveillance, and 37 packages containing suspected cocaine were located. This was during an operation led by members of the Mexican Navy. Through the SEMAR (National Maritime and Air Force) with coast guard functions, the deployment was carried out in coordination with the Ministry of National Defense, the Attorney General's Office, the National Guard, and the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection. The operation seized and prevented the trafficking of approximately 11,112 kg of suspected cocaine. The official statement highlights that the economic impact on the criminal groups is approximately 263 million pesos. This action was carried out during a maritime and aerial surveillance patrol at sea, in which vessels and air units from the Mexican Navy participated. With this seizure, it is reported that so far this administration has just over 41 tons of suspected cocaine have been seized at sea. This report that we have changed, Joshua. Important seizure. Javier. Thank you. Pending. Good morning.

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Navy Of Mexico Reports Largest Cocaine Seizure So Far This Six-Year Term In Port Of Manzanillo, Colima

 "Char" for Borderland Beat 

This article was translated and reposted from PROCESO 

The operation, carried out in the southwest port of Manzanillo, seized 5.6 tons of cocaine that were being transported in three small boats.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2024

MORELIA, Mich. (apro).- The Mexican Navy, acting as Coast Guard, seized, in two different events, around 7.2 tons of presumed cocaine, as well as 1,100 liters of fuel, and 15 presumed suspects were arrested, informed the Ministry of the Navy (Semar).

In the first case, 126 packages with an approximate weight of 5.6 tons were seized, which, according to naval authorities, represents the largest seizure of the substance in a single event during the current administration.

The Semar informed that the operation, in which three smaller vessels were intercepted -where the fuel was also transported and where the detained persons were traveling-, was carried out southwest of the port of Manzanillo by personnel on board the vessel ARM Godínez (PO-132), with the support of a Panther helicopter.

In the other event, 32 packages containing approximately 1.6 tons of suspected cocaine, which was being transported aboard a small vessel, were seized southwest of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán.

This seizure was made with the support of the interceptor patrol vessel ARM “Regulus” (PI-1115), a Defender type vessel and a Panther type helicopter.

Both the detainees and the seized material were transported by sea to the corresponding docks, where they were handed over to the Attorney General's Office of the Republic (FGR), so that the ministerial authorities could complete the investigation.

Just last May 20, in Manzanillo, the Semar seized a shipment of approximately 1,618 kilograms of white powder with characteristics of cocaine, in 30 packages, as well as 11 cigarettes with dry grass with characteristics similar to marijuana and 1,150 liters of liquid with the characteristics of fuel, contained in 23 drums of 50 liters each.

The seizure was carried out by naval personnel during maritime and aerial surveillance operations involving a vessel, an aircraft and a helicopter of the Mexican Navy, approximately 135 nautical miles (250 kilometers) from Manzanillo, which resulted in the arrest of three people who were traveling aboard a smaller vessel.

Earlier, on April 24 of this year, the Semar announced the seizure of more than three tons of white powder with cocaine characteristics, at an approximate distance of 18.1 nautical miles (33.52 kilometers) off the coast of the port of Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan.

The drug was seized when Mexican Navy personnel sighted black packages floating in the sea waters, so they proceeded to their recovery, which resulted in 66 packages containing inside them brick-shaped packages with the alleged illicit cargo.

The suspected drug was handed over to the competent authorities for the integration of the corresponding investigation folder. 

On April 10, the maritime authority reported that, through the Fourteenth Naval Zone, based in Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, attached to the Tenth Naval Region, located in Manzanillo, Colima, in two different actions, 1,969.86 kilograms of presumed cocaine hydrochloride were seized, and six suspects were arrested.

SOURCE: PROCESO 

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Ecuador National Police Seize 8.8 Tons of Cocaine in Port of Guayaquil

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

The National Police force of Ecuador seized a massive cocaine shipment weighing 8.8 tons in a container of bananas at the port of Guayaquil, Ecuador. The seizure was announced as the largest bust far this year.

The shipment was destined for Belgium, which is characterized as the "the primary entry point for cocaine smuggled into Europe" according to the US State Department in 2020. The report identifies the Port of Antwerp as the main doorway into Europe, where criminal groups smuggle product from Latin America on container ships. In 2022, 110 tons of cocaine were seized at the Port of Antwerp, reported Belgian authorities.

Indeed, Kristian Vanderwaeren, Belgian customs official stated that 40% of the cocaine seized in Europe is found in Belgium.

Video: CmdtPoliciaEc Twitter

This seizure occurs while cocaine production in Latin America is at it's highest point ever, according to InSight Crime co-director Jeremy McDermott in a recent podcast.

Ecuador in particular is emerging as a key player in the cocaine market. In 2022, 201 tons of cocaine were seized in Ecuador, a 44% increase from 2021. 

According to an article by France24, Ecuador does not actually produce coca, the crop used to make cocaine, but has emerged as a major drug player because of it's shared borders with Peru and Colombia, two major cocaine producing nations. Both of these nations saw increases in the production and siezures of cocaine last year.

Brookings Institution expert Vanda Felbab-Brown wrote that both the CJNG and Sinaloa Cartel are involved in Ecuador, forging alliances with local gangs to facilitate the transportation of cocaine through the country on the way to ocean routes.

Sources: @CmdtPoliciaEc Twitter, State Department Drug Report - INCSR 2020, Milenio, France24, Brookings - Vanda Felbab-Brown, Americas Quarterly Podcast, Politico.eu

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Mexican Cartel's Pandemonium in Panama

Borderland Beat


Panama • Local media said today  Mexican drug trafficking groups operating in Panama are using the country as a base for trafficking cocaine from Colombia to Mexico and the United States.

According to intelligence reports cited by the newspaper La Prensa,  the Gulf cartel, Beltran Leyva, Los Zetas and Juarez Cartel were the drug trafficking organizations most readily identified as being present in Panama. The information also indicated that there are 2,500 foreign prisoners incarcerated in Panamanian jails, between 90 and 100 are Mexican nationals, all charged with drug offenses, confirmed by Angel Calderon, Panama's Director of Prisons to La Prensa.

In September 2010 when Edgar Valdez Villarreal, aka La Barbie, was captured in an

operation in the Mexican capital, he told authorities: "all the drugs we transport into Mexico come from Colombia through Panama." Valdez Villarreal was reported to be in Panama in 2007 for the first time when an intelligence report associated the operation with the Beltran Leyva cartel. At that time he was listed as "Boss and security coordinator" of drug deliveries from Colombia that were transported through Panama.

Public Ministry sources consulted for the report indicated that, at the request of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and Interpol, they investigated in Panama between 2007 and 2008 to determine whether the Beltran Leyva had accounts or assets in the country, but the inquiries were fruitless.


In the last seven years, La Prensa outlined several instances that are linked to Mexican cartel members. In one of these incidents, in 2007, a Sinaloa Cartel cell was dismantled. 16 Mexicans and 3 Panamanians were arrested upon the interception and ultimate seizure of their boat loaded with 19.4 tons of cocaine in the Pacific Ocean.

A week after the bust of that large vessel, authorities captured two other Sinaloa Cartel operatives with 200 kilos of cocaine and 2.5 million in cash they were intending to bury in backyard of the residence in the capital.



While from Los Zetas, in 2009, they seized three cars with drug compartments loaded with cocaine crossing at the Paso Canoas border with Costa Rica. 

in 2010 four suspected Juárez cartel members were captured at the Tocumen International Airport with drugs in their suitcases with false bottoms. 

The presence in Panama of drug trafficking sicarios from Mexican drug cartels are not only witnessed in the streets of this country but many have been left behind in Panamanian prisons for the crimes they've committed.

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