El Salvador and Mexico seize record tons of cocaine and ketamine in joint drug busts

El Salvador's navy intercepted two self‑propelled semi‑submersible vessels in international waters, confiscating 6.68 tonnes of cocaine and detaining ten foreign suspects from Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama and Ecuador. The haul, valued at roughly $332 million, was described by officials as a historic blow to narcotrafficking and was praised for aligning with U.S. anti‑drug initiatives. Earlier in February, Salvadoran forces seized an additional 6.0 tonnes, bringing the country's 2026 total to over 13 tonnes.

In Mexico, federal agencies led by the Navy and the Maritime Customs of Lázaro Cárdenas uncovered about 1.187 tonnes of cocaine aboard a merchant vessel, preventing an estimated two million doses worth more than 259 million pesos from reaching the streets. The operation involved specialized canine units and port‑inspection teams.

Separately, Mexico's National Customs Agency, together with the Defense Secretariat, seized 2.66 kg of ketamine hidden in double‑bottom luggage arriving from Bogotá at Cancún International Airport, demonstrating coordinated intelligence and risk‑analysis efforts across the region.