SAN SALVADOR: El Salvador seized packages containing 1.4 tons of cocaine floating in the Pacific Ocean.
President Nayib Bukele announced the seizure on Tuesday and described it as a strike against international drug trafficking.
The shipment was discovered approximately 1,600 kilometres southwest of El Cordoncillo at the mouth of the Jaltepeque estuary.
This significant drug bust occurs amid heightened US focus on Latin American narcotics operations.
US President Donald Trump has declared war on drug traffickers and labelled cartels as terrorist organisations.
International criminal cartels frequently use Central America as a primary transit route for cocaine destined for the United States.
Trump has deployed warships near Venezuela and authorised a missile strike on a suspected drug vessel.
The Salvadoran president confirmed the floating packages had an estimated street value of $35 million.
El Salvador has seized 37.2 tons of cocaine valued at $932.4 million between 2024 and 2025.
The US embassy in San Salvador commended the operation and highlighted growing cooperation between allied nations.
Washington estimates that 90% of cocaine entering the United States transits through Mexico and Central America. – AFP