Oaxaca cocaine seizure led to the capture of 559 kilos of cocaine, four suspects and a boat in a navy‑led operation off the Gulf of Tehuantepec.
Mexican authorities seized more than half a ton of suspected cocaine off the coast of the southern state of Oaxaca, arresting four people and confiscating a vessel, Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection Omar García Harfuch reported on Wednesday.
A joint operation led by the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) and supported by the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena), the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and the National Guard (GN) carried out maritime and air patrols in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. During routine surveillance, officers detected an unmarked boat with four crew members on board.
“When requested for the corresponding documentation, none of the crew members could prove their identity or legal presence in Mexican waters,” the SSPC statement said. An inspection of the vessel uncovered 14 packages wrapped in black plastic containing an illicit cargo—later confirmed as cocaine—alongside six jerry cans and a cubitank holding 685 liters of fuel, and a hemispherical beacon.
Authorities arrested all four individuals on charges of drug trafficking and unauthorized entry. They also impounded the boat and transferred the seized cocaine and fuel to naval custody for further testing and disposal.
Oaxaca cocaine seizure details
According to García Harfuch, the operation yielded approximately 559 kilograms of suspected cocaine—equivalent to more than one million doses on the street—and will carry an estimated economic impact of 130.08 million pesos (about $7 million USD). Fuel items and navigation equipment suggest traffickers planned to move larger loads along this maritime route.
During the current administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexican forces have intercepted over 45 tons of cocaine at sea, bolstering ongoing efforts to disrupt drug routes and criminal networks operating off Mexico’s Pacific coast.
Drug traffickers frequently exploit the Gulf of Tehuantepec corridor to ship narcotics toward domestic distribution points or onward to the United States. The remote stretches of ocean and limited enforcement presence make it a favored pathway for smuggling operations.
Local security experts say this latest interception underscores growing interagency coordination and intelligence‑driven patrols. By combining naval assets with air reconnaissance, authorities aim to close gaps that traffickers use to evade detection.
At the federal level, the operation aligns with broader strategies to safeguard maritime borders and cut off supply lines for cartels. The Navy has increased its patrol frequency in Oaxaca, Chiapas and Guerrero waters since early 2025, deploying fast‑response vessels and unmanned aerial systems to track suspicious maritime activity.
Residents and business owners along the Oaxaca coastline have welcomed the crackdown, noting that drug shipments often fuel violence in coastal communities. “Every seizure helps restore confidence that our beaches are safe and that criminal groups can’t operate unchecked,” said a local tourism operator who requested anonymity.
Looking ahead, the SSPC plans to maintain heightened patrols through the rest of the hurricane season, when rough seas can both hinder and obscure smuggling efforts. Additional checkpoints and inspections at key ports aim to disrupt smaller vessels before they reach open water.
By tightening control over sea lanes and sharing real-time intelligence among federal and state agencies, Mexican authorities hope to sustain the momentum against illicit trafficking—and send a clear message that maritime routes will no longer be a weak link in national security.
Oaxaca, cocaine seizure, Gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexican Navy, SSPC, drug trafficking
