El Salvador navy seizes record 6.68 tonnes of cocaine

President Nayib Bukele announced on 19 June 2026 that the Salvadoran National Navy intercepted two low‑profile vessels southwest of the Bocana El Cordoncillo in the Pacific. The first vessel, stopped 582 nautical miles from shore, was carrying 3.425 tonnes of cocaine; a second vessel, intercepted six hours later 633 nautical miles out, held an additional 3.255 tonnes. The combined haul of 6.68 tonnes is valued at roughly $167 million, surpassing the previous national record of 6.606 tonnes seized on 13 February 2026. Together, the seizures bring El Salvador’s total cocaine confiscations for the year to 13.286 tonnes, worth over $332 million.

Bukele described the operation as “the most decisive blow against drug trafficking in the country’s history,” emphasizing the navy’s role in ending impunity for narcotics traffickers operating in the region.