The SPSS Drug Smuggling Ships (VIDEO)

Friends of Ours ^

[Chode]

one of the first ones i heard of several years ago was found 90% finished up in some mountain town in Columbia... go figure

[bitterohiogunclinger]

“And, what exactly do you charge the crew with after they scuttle the damn thing, taking the evidentiary contraband to the bottom?”
Good question, but I'd bet that the punishment they'd get from the Cartel bosses for sinking 8000 pounds of cocaine would be worse than anything we'd do to them. What is the street price of a pound of coke?

Why not real subs? I think I read somewhere they've been doing that also. I wouldn't be surprised if they managed to pick up a few surplus diesel boats from the russians or chinese.

[Kenny Bunk]

....but I'd bet that the punishment they'd get from the Cartel bosses for sinking 8000 pounds of cocaine would be worse than anything we'd do to them. What is the street price of a pound of coke?...

There is an unlimited supply, so the street price here is a minor matter. It's all about delivery. They lose 4 tons? No big deal, only about 15% (optimistically) of all shipments are interdicted. Cost of doing business.

BTW, semi-subs are fiberglass, are powered by 350hp diesels, are good for 8 knots, carry 3,000 gallons of fuel, and have sufficient range to go anywhere in the Caribbean and the Gulf within a week, crewed by 4 guys, who get $50-$75,000 per trip. Cost FOB Cartagena suburbs, under $1million, including hefty builder profit. Essentially a one-time, throwaway boat,according to the economics of the business, but well designed and seaworthy craft. Exhaust cooled in hull chambers before release, so there is negligible heat signature. Innovative lines leave scarcely visible wake. Some slick stealth engineering here. Crew amenities: Mattress on the fuel tank, picnic basket,over. Heat, diesel fumes, no time on deck (naturally) make it a less than ideal yachting experience. Afraid to ask about head calls.