National Army deals a forceful blow to drug trafficking in Putumayo with the seizure of more than 12 tons of marijuana hidden on a boat

As part of military operations carried out under the Ayacucho Plus Campaign Plan, troops from the 27th Combat Engineer Battalion, attached to the National Army’s 27th Brigade, located and seized more than 12.5 tons of marijuana in the municipality of Puerto Asís, Putumayo, dealing a decisive blow to the illicit economies of the residual organized armed groups operating in this region of the country.

The operation took place in the area of La Esmeralda pier, in the rural area of Cocay, where troops inspected the boat that had aroused suspicion during military checkpoints. Upon conducting a thorough search of the vessel, the soldiers discovered a hidden compartment, concealed by a false wall, inside which more than 12.5 tons of marijuana were hidden, intended to be transported undetected. Both the narcotics and the vessel were turned over to the competent authorities.

According to military intelligence, this shipment is believed to belong to the Second Marquetalia-Border Command Structure residual organized armed group, a criminal organization that uses the river corridors of the department of Putumayo to transport large quantities of narcotics to other departments in the country and, subsequently, to international markets.

This significant operational success was supported by the Colombian Navy and the prosecution efforts of the National Police’s Anti-Narcotics Directorate, enabling the corresponding legal proceedings to move forward and strengthening joint and interagency actions to combat drug trafficking.

Through this operation, the National Army prevented a significant quantity of drugs from reaching illegal distribution networks, significantly undermining the logistical and financial capabilities of this criminal organization. The seizure represents a blow to the illicit economies of the Second Marquetalia-Border Command Structure Residual Organized Armed Group,” estimated at more than $25 million abroad—funds that will no longer flow to this organization and that would have been used to strengthen its criminal activities.

The 27th Brigade of the National Army will continue to carry out sustained military operations in the department of Putumayo to combat drug trafficking, weaken the criminal structures that threaten the region’s security, and protect the civilian population.